Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 17-03-30

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Finance ministry activates system able to cross-check bank deposits against declared income

[02] There are still some thorns that prevent agreement, say EU sources

[03] FM Kotzias in Brussels on Friday for NATO Foreign Ministers meeting

[04] Syrian refugee self immolates over his stay in Chios, delays in asylum request

[01] Finance ministry activates system able to cross-check bank deposits against declared income

Presenting the new system during a press conference, Finance Minister Euclid Tsakalotos described it as the "stick" that will signal to tax evaders that the ministry now has the means to locate them. It will initially be used to investigate some 1.27 million tax payers included in the various list of depositors the finance ministry has in its possession, with priority based on a specific set of risk analysis criteria.

The "carrot" for the same tax payers will be the new laws for the voluntary disclosure of income, which envision much lower penalties for those that make use of it. Here, again, the ministry expects that the new system will act as an incentive and greatly increase revenues from voluntary disclosure.

According to ministry estimates, the additional revenues from the cross-checking system will help Greece achieve a 3.5 pct of GDP primary surplus target and allow the government to adopt stronger social welfare policies.

The new software was developed by a special finance ministry team and presented by Tsakalotos, Alternate Finance Minister Katerina Papanatsiou and the head of the Independent Authority for Public Revenues Giorgos Pitsilis on Thursday.

Previously, the mechanism for cross-checking the deposits in an individual's bank accounts against the income that he or she declared could take up to 18 months, with 10 months required to collect the bank details and income tax statements alone. Under the new system, the information will be collected in the space of minutes and the cross-checking can be completed within a week. In exceptional cases where there is a greater degree of complexity and difficulty, the process may take up to a few weeks, the speakers clarified.

The system's major advantage is its ability to track the raw data concerning the primary movements in tax payers' bank accounts and compare these with their declared income - a process that had previously been very time-consuming. It was clarified, however, that the system will only provide an "initial estimate" of tax evasion and that the final estimate will arise as the result of a full tax audit.

Tsakalotos praised the work of the finance ministry team involved and noted that the present government had been the one to give the go-ahead for the specific system, even though it had been technically possible before, accusing previous governments of lacking the necessary political will.

Papanatsiou said it was proof of the government's resolve to stamp out tax evasion and catch those responsible, while stressing that there was no danger that the cases linked to the various lists held by the finance ministry will become statute-barred.

Pitsilis, meanwhile, said that the authority had already started to make use of the new system, with 131 inspectors trained in its use on a pilot basis, while the training of certified inspectors in the new system has now begun.

[02] There are still some thorns that prevent agreement, say EU sources

According to information from Brussels the danger of new hurdles ahead of the 7 April Eurogroup meeting has not been eliminated yet, because the IMF's demands for the liberalisation of mass layoffs and lockouts are still "on the table" in the negotiations.

On the other hand, the Greek government has spearheaded labour issues and a rejection of the IMF's positions and it is very difficult to step back on issues of principle, such as collective bargaining, mass layoffs and lockouts.

[03] FM Kotzias in Brussels on Friday for NATO Foreign Ministers meeting

Kotzias is expected to highlight Greece's crucial role for the stability in the region. The meeting of Foreign Ministers will also focus on the importance of Transatlantic cooperation, consolidation of regional and global security and prepare for the next NATO summit this May.

At the working lunch, which will be attended by the High Representative and Vice-President of the European Commission Federica Mogherini, they will discuss the NATO-Russia's relations followed by the NATO-Ukraine Committee, attended by Ukrainian Foreign Minister Pavlo Klimkin.

[04] Syrian refugee self immolates over his stay in Chios, delays in asylum request

According to sources from the "Skulitsio" hospital" in Chios, the man is expected to be transferred to Athens to receive proper treatment for his burns, said to cover about 90 percent of his body. A policeman who tried to save the Syrian was also transferred to hospital with burns on his hands and face.

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