Tax offices across the country experienced unusual massive visits by motorists. Holding the plates of their cars in the hand they have been patiently waiting for their turn to hand them over to the tax office. The deadline for motorists to pay the so-called “traffic fees”/car tax for 2013 expires on December 31st 2012.
But it looks as if tax- and levies-hit Greeks are not able or willing to pay even 130 euro for a car’s tax especially they cannot afford to move around due to the fuel prices. Not to mention that there is hardly money left for repairs and other necessities.
There are reports that in the tax office of Peristeri, in western Athens, 70 car plates were handed over last Friday alone.
According to Greek media, the finance ministry had calculated to collect 1,25 billion euro from the traffic fees, however it has collected so far less than the half: just 520 million euro.
After the 75% revenues decreases from the increased heating oil tax that’s the next success of the program “Put the Greeks in eternal austerity”. That’s the silent revolution you were told about: Greeks refrain from consuming and spending money just for the shake of increasing the state revenues.
End of austerity story 🙂
About time. Most of these clowns do not need a car other to keep up their pride.Yia figoura mono! Vlaxoi…
next time you use the word Vlaxoi you’re banned form here, ober-vlaxo
KTG, as a long time poster, may I ask if Vlaxoi is that bad of a comment? Just curious as I hear worse from people in Syntagma sometimes. Not to defend John as insults are never nice of course.
has a white-supremacy connotation
Hey who said we Greeks were not environmentally conscinece.
At least most drivers in Greece will think twice about driving to the corner shop and instead walk. Which is a lot healthier. And makes the heart beat stronger and burn off the fat.
Not to mention less carbon monoxide in the atmosphere and the reduction of the pollution greyish brown haze that hangs over big cities.
they probably thought to leave the cars at home now that wood and coal burning has covered Athens with the winter greyish-brown smog.
Most of that money has gone underground. Wood is being burned that is illegally logged and paid for without receipt. And outside the city most burn everything they can get their hands on without paying any VAT for it. And as for things like petrol, diesel, alcohol and cigarettes: smugglers must be working overtime.
How would it be to explain that about 50% more were spending the holidays outside in the country this year compared to last year?