Sunday night in Europe. Football fans around the globe rave and roar for the World Cup Final in Marakana stadium between Germany and Argentina. Present at the VIP seats is also German Chancellor Angela Merkel, a devoted football fan, who jetted across the universe to support the National Football Team.
What did debt-ridden Greeks do, while Merkel had her eyes fixed on the glorious German Eleven? Greeks were devotedly submitting their tax declarations – irrespectively of whether they can afford to pay taxes or not. More than 150,000 tax declarations were submitted in the Greek electronic system taxisnet between 11pm Sunday night and 1am on Monday morning, I heard on TV this morning.
World Cup 2014 Winner: Germany
Dozens of Greek accountants thought to take advantage of the two-hour long historical football match and submit their clients’ tax declarations.
Sunday night was one of the rare moments that the taxisnet was operating without problems and the declarations could be submitted without the accountants having to be online for up to 3 hours ’till the system reacts.
Monday, 14. July 2014, is the last day of submitting tax declarations. The fines for the cases the declarations are not submitted on time are juicy: additional 2.5% tax to the annual income. Or a fine fee starting from €117 and ending to €1.170, if your income is tax-exempted or you are eligible to tax return.
Thank God, Angela Merkel traveled to Maracana in Rio, Brazil with the money of the German taxpayers who had a double burden: German President Joachim Gauck also flew to Rio and enjoyed an ear from the melted chocolate Easter bunny that looks like the World Cup FIFA trophy.
Can you imagine, the Troika-bound Greeks had to fund the trip (flight tickets, accommodation, meals, escort etc) ?
Of course, Greeks who were not accountants did watch the football match and supported Argentina.
PS Hope the accountants had both eyes on the taxisnet screen and they did not do their duty with grave tax mistakes for their clients.
At least Merkel is working for the citizens of her country and looks very well after them. She does a very good job indeed for Germany. Wish Greece would have a government that would protect all its citizens instead of a small elite group. But all they do is say yes to Troika and still fill their own pockets.