Total arrears owed to the Greek state now exceed the stratospheric figure of 111 billion euros, with nearly four million taxpayers listed as debtors, albeit the vast majority owes small amounts corresponding to one or two missed payments on income tax or property taxes.
More ominous is the fact that 5.79 billion euros of new tax arrears were created in 2021 by businesses and households, according to the independent tax bureau. In December 2021 alone, new arrears reached 655 million euros.
Moreover, enforceable measures have been filed by the tax bureau against 1.332 million taxpayers, meaning that the state can seize bank deposits up to the amount owed, for instance.
As per the 111-billion-euro figure, the sum includes tens of billions of euros worth of debts owed by businesses who have ceased any commercial activity, even decades ago, and individual taxpayers no longer alive. Proposals to write-off debts deemed as “uncollectable” have long been aired, in order to present a more accurate picture of arrears owed to the Greek state.
