New wave of taxes awaits Greeks this autumn as 25 percent of summer tax obligations overdue

A new wave of taxes awaits Greeks this fall as they return from their summer vacations, as 25 percent of the summer tax obligations are overdue, according to the latest Finance Ministry data.

On Monday, the real estate tax (ENFIA) notifications for 2016 were posted on the ministry's online system. Taxpayers need to pay the tax by the end of September or in five installments by the end of January 2017.

The government aims to collect about 2.65 billion euros from ENFIA.

Besides ENFIA, Greeks will have to pay a dozen taxes until January, ranging from income tax to car duties, "Kathimerini" (Daily) newspaper noted in an article.

The Greek state aims to gather approximately 23 billion euros from these taxes until January.

Meanwhile, about one in four euros of the first installment of income tax due in late July this summer, is still unpaid, according to Finance Ministry figures.

An estimated 300 million euros were added in July to the overdue tax debt to the state that has reached about 90 billion euros in recent years, as recession-hit taxpayers are struggling to meet all their financial obligations.

"The government is fully aware that many citizens have been crushed by taxes in recent years and is now battling to ensure that the distribution of taxation is made constantly fairer," Greek government spokeswoman Olga Gerovassilis told local Real FM station on Monday.

She assured that the picture will change, when being asked to comment on the criticism regarding over taxation and tax revenue shortfall which is increasing concern over whether Greece will meet its fiscal targets to unlock more bailout aid.

"The Greek economy is gradually turning around.The Greek GDP will further grow in coming months. I believe that our estimate for 0.3 percent contraction at the end of the year, remains realistic," she stressed, commenting also on the latest data from the Greek statistics authority (ELSTAT) released on Monday.

According to ELSTAT, recession stood at 0.9 percent on an annual basis in the second quarter of 2016. Initial predictions published in August suggested 0.7 percent recession rate.

Athens and its EU lenders project that the ailing economy can rebound impressively by 2017, should Greeks meet the targets set by the country's third bailout since 2010 that was sealed last summer. 

Source : XINHUA