Trouble in paradise as six Greek islands lose tax breaks

[webfact]

Trouble in paradise as six Greek islands lose tax breaks



ATHENS: -- For years the Greek Aegean islands have benefited from a VAT rate 30 percent lower than the rest of the country.

The rate was set to act as an incentive to prevent the dwindling populations from leaving the islands.

Now the advantage has gone for six of them as part of the latest reforms to meet the demands of Greece’s international bailout.

The islands concerned are Naxos, Mykonos, Santorini, Rhodes,Paros and Skiathos

On the island of Naxos with a population of around 18,000 locals fear the worst.

Vaggelis Koutelieris is a Supermarket owner on Naxos:“We work for three months in the summer, so for the rest of the time, when it’s just the locals here, this will definitely affect our turnover, our consumption. But our expenditure is the same. This will be a negative thing for every business. We must make ends meet for the eight months of the winter season.”

No one is immune from the hikes, consumer tax rises on the majority of goods up from 16 percent to 23 percent.


-- (c) Copyright Euronews 2015-10-02

[shirtless]

Your country is broke , I think its time the Greeks paid some taxes,

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

awwww you mean now the rich will have to pay some taxes too? More likely they will just move their huge amounts of money somewhere else.

[Srikcir]

Enjoy the Tsipris government that betrayed you and voted back to power.

Living in a democracy only guarantees the right to purue happiness. It doesn't guarantee things will work the way one personally wants.

[Ulic]

For me the definition of a patriot is not someone who serves in the military and fights a

commercial war (oil in the middle east, British in India, etc.....) not someone who does public

service in government, but someone who pays there taxes. No one likes to do it but it is

essential for the good of the country. No use everyone thinking everyone else should pay

taxes but not them. Pay your taxes and you are a patriot. Don't and you are not. Simple.

Obviously not many patriots in Greece.

[SheungWan]

The real question is whether the increased rate of taxes improves the actual tax take over a period of time greater than the immediate short term.

Edited October 2, 2015 by SheungWan

[wabothai]

Too much luxury too long.

[nithisa78]

awwww you mean now the rich will have to pay some taxes too? More likely they will just move their huge amounts of money somewhere else.

i doubt you know anything about rich. just about how so many people's lives are better than yours.