ECONOMY

State reduced its arrears further in May

State debts to third parties dropped to 6.5 billion euros at the end of May from 7.26 billion at end-April (not including any new debts that may have been incurred last month), while pending tax rebates have fallen to the lowest point this year, 250 million euros. Budget revenues have made the target for the first five months and managed to do so without including the receipts of the last three days in May, when more taxes were paid.

The acceleration in the repayment of arrears is due to changes in the repayment process and the return of taxes that came into force last December, when expired state debts stood at 8.15 billion euros and unpaid tax rebates at 724 million euros.

In May alone the state repaid debts of 700 million euros, including hospital arrears amounting to 240 million euros. Since the start of the year the state has covered 567 million of the 1.1 billion euros that hospitals owed in January.

Nevertheless, there are problems in the processing of payments of the National Organization for Healthcare Provision (EOPYY). The Finance Ministry is examining the option of tabling a set of regulations in Parliament to overcome the obstacles and the major delays in payouts.

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