Greek Government Increases Taxes On Children

The Greek government have announced their plan to reduce the tax-free limit that is in place based on the number of children you have. Currently for 1-2 children the first 2000 Euro of income is tax-free, the Greek government wants to reduce this to 480 Euros. But why?

Apparently because there is rampant tax evasion although the Greek government presents zero evidence. Let me explain.

This is what the Greek government gave as a reason for reducing the tax-free allowance on families. Translated from here

And while the Ministry of Finance as punishing fraud suspects ‘blanket’ freelancers and plans to deprive them completely from the tax-free threshold will give allowance “from the window” to those who evade taxes. Typically, 457,389 in 2011 from 779,316 freelancers reported to the IRS less than € 12,000 as annual income. In some industries even income averages need … psychiatric or criminal investigation: – 14,715 hairdressers and beauty salons reported an average annual income of 3,916 euros a year. – 30,197 bar owners reported-on average-income 4,322 per year. – 6,154 bakers declared average income per year 6,139 – 2,537 hoteliers and owners of rented rooms reported 16,637 euros on average.

So lets breakdown the points the government is making here.

1. Hairdressers, bars owners,bakers and hoteliers as individuals are liars. To get the full effect I think the Greek government should list some industries which employs/attracts honest people. Just so people know the sort of person they are dealing with when they go into businesses in different industries. Maybe they could make a pamphlet.

2. That the tax returns filed by these people are lies but they have no evidence to back up their claims but that is irrelevant. I have to presume that, as no details regarding the number of court cases pending to judge these alleged infractions is given. I can only assume that there are none of so few they did not think it was worth mentioning.

3. To combat this alleged tax evasion the government is rejecting the idea of more inspections and instead the Greek government’s solution is to increase taxes on everyone. In short the people who the government says pay taxes will be punished while the people the government says does not pay taxes will not be punished.

I am not sure what else the Greek government and the Greek politicians could do to show the Greek people that they think they are scum. And I do not use the word “scum” lightly.

I think the problem in Greece is that the people do not know who their enemy is.

I’m sure deep down the Greek people know (and it is not Germany recommending these taxes) which leaves me at a loss as to why things have gone as far as they have.

I would like to think that in Britain the people would have put a stop to this behaviour like they did with the poll tax.  (And I am not saying whether I am for or against the Poll Tax)

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I am not condoning violence in any way whatsoever, what I am saying is that the Poll Tax riots showed that people can act in a coordinated way without the need for unions of other political organisers.

There has to come a point when private citizens band together on principle and leave their union and political allegiances on the side.

But like I said, there is zero evidence of this happening anytime soon in Greece no matter what the population is exposed to.

 

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