A massive audit operation is being launched by Greece’s tax authority (AADE), conducting thorough evaluations of hundreds of tax evasion reports aimed at uncovering major cases of illegal enrichment and money laundering. This initiative seeks to effectively utilize information bulletins submitted to the Revenue Investigation and Public Revenue Security Services (YEDDE), to increase state revenues and strengthen tax justice.
By decision of AADE administrator Giorgos Pitsilis, permanent three-member committees are being established in the YEDDE offices of Athens, Thessaloniki, Patras, and Heraklion. The committees’ primary mission is to catalog and evaluate both existing and new complaints, ensuring that the most “hot” cases are immediately put under auditors’ microscope. Each committee includes the head of each YEDDE office as president, along with two staff members from audit and investigation departments. Administrative support is assigned to employees designated by the head, while employees handling the information bulletins under review can participate as rapporteurs without voting rights.
How Greece’s tax authority conducts audits
The evaluation process is based on the electronic platform Elenxis – Case Management, where all bulletins are recorded. The system allows complete monitoring of each case, immediate updates to responsible employees, and ensures information is utilized to the maximum extent possible. Evaluation is conducted on a scale from 0 to 4. Bulletins with little or no interest receive grades 0-1, while the most critical cases requiring immediate intervention are scored with 4. The final grade results from the majority of members or, in case of a tie, from the president’s recommendation.
Each session is accompanied by minutes recording participants, the number of evaluated bulletins, and results by importance level. Bulletins that don’t fall under YEDDE jurisdiction, such as customs or labor issues, are immediately forwarded to the competent services. The establishment of new committees enhances transparency, speed, and effectiveness of audit procedures. With this new structure, AADE aims to transform every piece of information into an action tool, prioritizing the most critical cases and ensuring full utilization of complaints in the fight against tax evasion and illegal enrichment.
Over 40,000 reports on Greece’s tax platform
It’s worth noting that since October 2023, when the electronic platform “Citizens’ Complaints” became operational, over 40,000 reports have been submitted for tax and customs violations (ranging from fake receipts and smuggling to major corruption cases). A key element is the credibility of complaints, as most come from former partners, competitors, dissatisfied customers, or former company executives. Therefore, each complaint is examined meticulously and cross-referenced with additional evidence before giving the “green light” for tax auditing.
