Tax justice only for the select few
Just as the local economy is starting to feel the pinch of the global economic and financial crisis and taxpayers are being called to bear the brunt of the cost, Greece’s Ministry of Economy and Finance has decided to take yet another look at previous tax breaches amounting to tens of millions of euros. The ministry’s objective is not to clarify some controversial cases, but rather to whitewash tax violations. So, it would appear once again that fiscal justice is being administered according to a taxpayer’s political clout. The media, for example, appear to enjoy immunity from punishment, even – for example – in cases where they have been found to have been issuing false invoices. In such cases, the company responsible has managed to escape penalties of up to 51 million euros. As for the non-privileged tax-payers, who make up the majority of the population, they are now being called upon to pay an extra 7 billion euros in penalties. And without any right of review.
