Greeks are queueing to hand over their car plates as they can’t pay the car taxes

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Society

Tax offices across the country experienced unusual massive visits by motorists. Holding the plates of their cars in the hand they have been patiently waiting for their turn to hand them over to the tax office. The deadline for motorists to pay the so-called “traffic fees”/car tax for 2013 expires on December 31st 2012.

But it looks as if tax- and levies-hit Greeks are not able or willing to pay even 130 euro for a car’s tax especially they cannot afford to move around due to the fuel prices. Not to mention that there is hardly money left for repairs and other necessities.
There are reports that in the tax office of Peristeri, in western Athens, 70 car plates were handed over last Friday alone.
According to Greek media, the finance ministry had calculated to collect 1,25 billion euro from the traffic fees, however it has collected so far less than the half: just 520 million euro.
After the 75% revenues decreases from the increased heating oil tax that’s the next success of the program “Put the Greeks in eternal austerity”. That’s the silent revolution you were told about: Greeks refrain from consuming and spending money just for the shake of increasing the state revenues