Greece’s tax-free Paradise: the Parliament with 300 MPs enjoying tax “immunity”

While the 300 esteemed Members of our Greek Parliament and government ministers approve laws taxing even the first euro a person living below poverty receives, they bless their own pockets as the 70% of their salaries and compensations are tax-free. Only 30% of their income coming from the Parliament is taxed.

This despite the fact that law 3842/10 approved in April 2012. The law with the glaring title “Restoring tax justice” was supposedly to go into effect retroactive as from 1.January 2012. But it never did.

A circular issued right after the voting foresaw that lawmakers would not be taxed as the mortal citizens, but they would have one-fourth of their MP salary and allowances tax-free, while the rest three-fourths should be taxed.

This 25% tax-free was supposedly to cover operational costs and this while the finance ministry does not recognize utility bills as operational costs for average households.

However this 25% tax-free rate mutated into a taxed rate, while the 75% became tax-free.

“Practically MPs do not pay taxes for income coming  their participation in parliamentary committees [150 euro per presence but reduced to half in November 2012], transportation costs, correspondence/mailing and telephone costs, expenses for their office operation, the contribution they pay to the party they belong.

This taxed/tax-free ratio became public after the Parliament published the lists of MPs’ assets for 2010, last week.

One MP declares a total of 112,537.87 euro income from the Parliament. From this only 28,157.62 is taxable, while the rest 84,380.25 are tax-free. A 75% tax free income.

Another MP declares a total of 109,884.32 euro income form the Parliament.  From this only 27,725.62  are taxed, while the rest 81,158.70 are tax-free. A rate of 74% tax free income. “(ethnos.gr)

 With the help of a foggy law and circulars that create more confusion than clearance, our clever MPs do is to declare the lion’s share on incomes coming from the Parliament as operational costs and other accounting finesses. Exactly as they civil servants, who can never tell what’s their gross monthly wage.

In the new taxation draft for employees, pensioners and self-employed submitted to the Parliament, there is no clause for changes in the taxation scheme of the members of the Greek Parliament.

Crooks among themselves and as nothing will change in this country, I’m seriously considering to suspend all payments to the state unless tax justice will be restored. For all. 

PS I shouldn’t forget equality before the law. For all.