By G. Palaitsakis
The finance ministry this week warned that it will activate provisions in the tax code to temporarily close down businesses that do not issue legal receipts or whose owners and staff prevent inspectors from making checks.
The warning is mostly aimed at tourism-related enterprises in the country amid the height of the ongoing tourism season.
Random checks in various areas around Greece yielded disappointing results in terms of receipt issuance by tourism businesses -- everything from restaurants to cafes to beach bar concessions and sun umbrella leasing.
According to reports, inspectors have been instructed to apply “milder penalties” to violators, with the primary goal being to locate and reprimand the most egregious instances of tax evasion, and the oft-repeated incidents of threats and roughing up of inspectors.
