Ch. Theoharis in Proto: Recently, investments in Greece have increased by 40% – At the moment, however, we are lagging behind in real estate investments (audio)

On issues such as where the country stands at the moment in terms of public debt, taxation and its digitization and of course the ancestral custom of advance extensions for the submission of tax returns, he spoke to First Program of Hellenic Radio 91.6 and 105.8on the show “Mirror” and on Christos Michaelidis, where he was a guest Haris TheocharisDeputy Minister of Finance.

“Why is Greece lagging behind in investments from the European Union?” was the question that the Deputy Minister of Finance was initially asked to answer to the journalist, characteristically saying the following “we have gone through a ten-year crisis, a very difficult period, in which investments collapsed. They collapsed precisely because the economic situation was not such that it allowed business opportunities to exist for someone to think about, choose and ultimately invest in. This was also the case for the Greeks, who, of course, went through very difficult situations and possibly did not even have the funds to make an investment, and on the other hand, it was also true for foreigners, because it was a period in which our country was connected to all negatively, all negative connotations in relation to its ability to attract investors. That has changed. Recently, investments – while in Europe in the last three years they have remained stagnant, they had a 1% increase in absolute amount compared to previous years – in Greece they have increased by 40%. Therefore, in terms of growth, our country is a champion. Also, if we look at investments in all other sectors except real estate, our country is at the highest point in the last three years that it has ever been. Where we currently lag is in real estate investment. These are missing. And this to some extent – it’s not the only one – also explains the rise of all these prices and interest rates in Housing, whether rents or purchase prices, precisely because for years we haven’t had investments in housing and the needs are great.”

For the digitization of taxation

Then asked if all this effort to digitize taxation and cross-checks has paid off in the fight against tax evasion with measurable data, Mr. Theocharis said “of course it has paid off. I will tell you yesterday’s data from Eurostat’s announcement on the primary surplus, which rose to 1.86% from 1.15 we had targeted. This was mostly done on the revenue side rather than the expense side. There were even many areas where costs went up. It came together on the revenue side and that happened precisely because we tackled tax evasion to a significant extent. We calculate our profit over 2 billion a year from tackling tax evasion and all these initiatives that we have developed whether it is called POS, or my-data, whether it is called the change of freelancers or difficulty in using cash and of course the measures against of smuggling with the two-year closures at gas stations, we have already started to do that. We understand that they will pay dividends in favor of the welfare state and in favor of reducing tax rates in the coming years».

For road tax

Mr. Theoharis underlined “as far as traffic fees are concerned, we will give a progressive increase in the finewill increase by one percent in January, by a larger one in February and from there and then it will reach 100% from March onwards and that way there will be no reason to give an extension. Someone who was negligent or had something happen to them and was going to pay it on the 31st and something happened to them or they were busy with something else, it won’t cost as much if they’re a few days late. And in this way I will assure you that the need and the pressure from the people for extensions of the traffic fees will disappear.”

For tax returns

Finally, he noted “the second thing we do with the statements is the following: When the state insists on certain deadlines it obviously has to keep its own obligations as well. And because March 31 is if you like the end of March the informal date on which we open the tax return systems, but for very special reasons because this year we are innovating with the returns submitted on behalf of the taxpayer by the administration and this had to be voted on last week, voted on Thursdaygot gazetted on Monday AADE opens the tax declarations in April, possibly even today and in any case, within the week so that these statements can begin to be made. So we come as the Ministry of Finance and say the following self-evidently: We need to instill a spirit of trust. As we say that no extension will be given, so we also say that if we took some days that we took from you in the days of April, even until the 25th, we will give a corresponding extension until the 25th of July, so that you have exactly the same days that you would expect under other circumstances. And this morally legitimizes us vis-à-vis you and those who, like me, agree with what you say about non-extensions that no further extension be granted. So, the state comes first and fulfills its own obligations and then demands that the citizens fulfill their obligations».