The Greek Finance Ministry was forced to issue another corrective notice after the outcry against the orders to cut off the power to those electricity subscribers who have not paid the emergency property tax. According to a FinMin statement, there will be no power cut offs to those who can prove that they are financially unable to pay the extra taxes. Further the FinMin stated that there has not be a deadline (Friday, Jan 20/2012) for those seeking to correct miscalculations in the emergency property tax amount or seek exemption or reduction. The news about the deadline has been in the news since last week….
The FinMin statement says that Evangelos Venizelos has given strict and clear instructions to state power company DEH. [I hope, he gave instructions to private power providers as well. Or will we need another circular?]
“The conclusion of the statement is: No household should considere to be at risk of interruption to electricity supply because they haven’t paid the emergency property tax, if they have requested to be placed under exemption, reduction or adjustment and they can effectively prove their inability to pay. “
The circular came most probably not only because of the harsh reaction from the union of workers at the state power company DEH, civic movements and several mayors. But also because, coalition government partner, conservative Nea Dimokratia categorically opposed power cuts in financial bankrupt households.
Alone in 2012, Greek taxpayers and property onwers have to pay 1) the second installement of emergency property tax for 2011 2) the E.P.T for 2012 and 3) one E.P.T. installment for 2013. For an owner of a 100 sq.m. flat in an average value zone in Athens the total amount could be 2,000 EUR in additional taxes only for 2012.
PS1 oops, my cat had been hiding a 100-euro banknote under her tail! Glad I can finally come up for the taxation of one window, the bathroom door and the left corner of my kitchen!
PS2 Have I told you already, that I’m totally fed up with this issue? Seven months and still corrections, circulars and confusion. tststs…
“The conclusion of the statement is: No household should considere to be at risk of interruption to electricity supply because they haven’t paid the emergency property tax, if they have requested to be placed under exemption, reduction or adjustment and they can effectively prove their inability to pay. “Can you please explain the above as i think i was misinformed.I was told you can only prove the inability to pay this if you had a disablity incl pedohiles (by the way this is an insult to anyone with any disablity to be put in the same ranks as these animals).It does not matter you have no job and two children to feed what matters is your able to work if you could find a job in these hard times. So how as a mother with no job and husband a farmer with no olives this year prove I can not pay this bill???
Exempted are people with disabilities at a rate of 80%. this does not include pedophiles etc who get 25-30% BTW this clause is suppposed to have been cancel by the ‘disability’ (lol) ministry. The latest circular on the issue by FINMIN claims, that the tax officers will decide on each separate case if people can be exempted.
Thank you for providing this information.I was led to believe that all people with disabilities were exempt.As a mother trying to provide for her children this made me so angry.Keep up the good work of keeping us all informed of whats really happening around us in Greece.
you’re welcome Eimear, glad to have helped. I follow very close this issue out of personal interest. My father, 84, with 67% disability is not granted exemption 🙁