News like that prove that the debt-ridden country with the empty state coffers is still able to make you smile instead of crying. From time to time. While the Finance Ministry under caretaker Pikrammenos government does its best to get even one cent from taxpayers, the extensive zealous of some officers leads to absurd tax collection even from the dead…..
The tax office of Lamia in Central Greece, sent a tax bill to a self-employed demanding that he pays the ‘trade fee’ of 500 euro.
Too bad for the state revenue targets that the man left this world in 1998, as local news-portal LamiaReport says.
According to the tax office notice, those who did not declare to the tax office the recess of their self-employed activity in time, must pay the trade fee [of 500 euro], independently from whether they had revenues or not (zougla.gr).
“Nevertheless, also those alive are practically … dead as the “vampires” of power managed to suck out the blood from all the small self-employed,” comments LamiaReport.
Other Greek tax Absurdities:
1) A man paid the emergency property tax via electricity bill on the last day of the expiration date on 14 May/2012. However the FinMin guideline had ruled that E.P.Taxes not paid until 30 April/2012, should be paid to the tax office. The man – and many others – did not know that. Now the man received a PPC notice saying that he will have to pay the EPT directly to the tax office, while the amount he already paid to PPC will be deducted by his future electricity bills. An amount of let’s say 800 euro must be paid twice, in times when people hardly manage to get together any cash.
2) A friend who lost her main job in January 2012, will have to pay almost double taxes for her income of 2011 according to new taxation law that has lowered the tax-free income from 12,000 euro down to 5,000 euro and charges also a so-called “solidarity tax”. She still has her other job for 500 euro per month. An amount she does not receive on regular monthly basis because the employer is short of liquidity. Where to find the money to pay the taxes, while utilities and money to cover basic needs are due? She simply has no idea…
How terrible! and how irresponsible!!! you mean to tell me that the employees of DEH didn’t know not to accept the additional money? And if they didn’t know how does one expect the ordinary consumer to know??? When was this officially published? Did you see it anywhere KT? coz I didn’t!!!
I made a post abou tthe statement on Friday I think..
Why shouldn’t a dead man be forced to pay taxes? What shall he do with the money anyway, be buried with it?
😀