By G. Kouros
A new proposal tabled by Greece's institutional creditors also reportedly dampens any prospect of instituting a more favorable regime for paying off arrears to the state, or even expanding the framework.
Conversely, the proposal does include what's being described as a new mechanism for obligatory payments.
The report comes amid continuing negotiations, via teleconferencing, aimed at concluding the second review of the Greek program, with the possibility of a "political solution" looming larger with each passing day until a crucial Dec. 5 Eurogroup meeting.
While on the one side of the negotiating table the leftist Greek government desperately wants to open talks on debt relief and lower primary budget surplus targets for after 2018 -- when the bailout program ends -- creditors, on their side, are reportedly demanding more welfare spending cuts and an elimination of tax breaks.
The scene is reminiscent of the situation last May, and just a month away from the latest "tax raid" set to hike prices on everything from tobacco products, coffee, mobile and landline phone connections.
As "N" has previously reported, total tax arrears to the state now exceed 92.5 billion euros, with eight billion euros set for collection by the end of the year -- a prospect that will undoubtedly add to the former figure, given that a 100-percent collection rate is considered impossible.
Once 2017 kicks in, taxpayers and legal entities will called on to hand over roughly four billion euros every month taxes in order to meet the year's budget targets.
Based on the draft 2017 budget, net budget revenues must reach a whopping 50.4 billion euros for the entire year.
