The finance ministry’s relevant revenue secretariat is expected to deduct payments due on property taxes (the so-called ENFIA tax) from taxpayers’ income tax refunds, assuming the latter are eligible for one.
At last estimate, some one million Greek taxpayers were expected to receive a refund from the tax bureau this year for income tax statements on fiscal 2015. However, the state's tax services will now compare the refund list with property tax obligations.
The initiative aims to collect as much of the 2.65 billion euros in projected property tax revenues by late August.
The government is reportedly basing its decision on an article passed in 2011 that allows the state to offset what it owes to taxpayers and corporate entities from their upcoming obligations, regardless of whether the latter have not exceeded payment deadlines.
