Greece's
Finance Ministry has announced the closure of 14 island-based tax
offices, as tax workers continue to hold protests against cutbacks
that they say threaten jobs and undermine the ability to tackle tax
evasion.
The
move, which will be implemented from September 1, completes a
commitment to slash the number of tax offices from 290 in 2011 to
120. The Ministry of Finance has emphasized that areas with large
numbers of islands will continue to have more than one tax office,
and that there are increasing numbers of electronic tax services
available. Further, arrangements are being put in place so that
payments can be made at banks, and desks handling tax affairs will be
established in municipal buildings in areas where tax offices have
closed.
Meanwhile,
tax officials have held a protest outside the Finance Ministry
against cutbacks in the tax authority. The Panhellenic Federation of
Tax Employees (POE DOY), argues that more resources are needed to
fight tax evasion, and that this is only way to free Greece from
foreign control and from the Troika. The union previously held a
strike from June 27 to 28, and further protests are planned.
Greece's
Government promised tax administration reforms in January, including
plans to reduce the power of local tax office managers to override
tax code provisions, and new measures to ensure the quality of tax
auditors.
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