A big number of lawmakers of Samaras’ conservative Nea Dimokratia met on Tuesday evening to discuss the property tax ENFIA that triggered outrage and strong reactions in the society. And not only! Present was also an adviser to Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis. The government lawmakers apparently expressed their objections to the ENFIA that taxes every single square meter of property, independently of whether it brings profit or not, whether property owners can afford to pay it or not. One of the MPs, Anna Karamanli was reportedly in such an emotional outburst that she told the FinMin’s advisor:
“Tell Hardouvelis to go f***!”
She later confirmed the incident and tweeted “I’m sorry for the outburst but I don’t regret about the substance of what I said about the ENFIA.”
Greek media report that also other Nea Dimokratia MPs complained that such an tax-collection measure like the ENFIA many of them will not manage to be elected for one more time.
According to Proto Thema, Anna Karamansli apparently said characteristically: “With such measures many MPs will not be elected again and I will become jobless.” In an radio interview Wednesday morning Karamanli told about the many of her voters visiting her in her office and complaining that they cannot afford to pay the property tax.
As for the Finance Minister Gikas Hardouvelis, he recently rejected any responsibility about the ENFIA calculations throwing the ball to the General Secretary of Finance Ministry Nikos Karavitis as the sole “architect of the ENFIA“.
21 ND lawmakers wrote an open letter to the government asking for Karavitis to be sacked.
PS Our ministers and lawmakers give an very pathetic impression. *sigh*
