Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis clarified that tax authority audits are not conducted “as a priority” for anyone and apply to all citizens equally, noting that these are normal cross-checking procedures and not vindictive actions. “How do you know they are priority cases? How do you know this? Do you know how many people are being audited? I’m answering… Do you know how many other audits are currently underway? Do you realize that audits don’t happen during advance payments, but during final settlements?” he emphasized, explaining that the audit phase mainly concerns routine cross-checking rather than vindictive procedures.
Additionally, Mr. Marinakis noted regarding reactions expressed by a small segment of the primary sector, that “some few farmers are shouting because ‘the party is over’, because now the tax authority looks at everything, cross-checks everything. Now is the time for audits, so there is no priority whatsoever. Those who don’t have problems shouldn’t worry – they won’t have problems.”
Pavlos Marinakis on tax authority audits: Not vindictive audits or political targeting
Mr. Marinakis also clarified that these audits are not centrally directed by the government and the government cannot do such a thing, noting that “they come from the competent services and if, since your colleague asked me, if someone will be arrested, I don’t know, I don’t have any such information. If there is an issue like the one with Mr. Androulakis’s associates and others, then we will have these procedures, but the administrative aspect is one thing – something that shouldn’t have been paid but was paid incorrectly – and the criminal aspect is another, about which we cannot have any insight, as it belongs exclusively to Justice.”
“So there is no administrative control here, no vindictive procedure. Everything is proceeding as quickly as possible. I remind you that within the framework of the Financial Police operation, together with other services, ‘bring back what was stolen’ – that’s the title – we have already had two very large announcement cycles well before the mobilizations. This started in the summer and will continue; audits happen daily,” added the government spokesperson.
Regarding recent allegations about concerts and subsidy management, he clarified: “What you’re asking about is an audit procedure involving tens of thousands of subsidy cases being checked throughout Greece, with various findings released every week. The other case is a public complaint, which logically the tax authority is investigating, but I’m not their spokesperson to confirm this.”
Finally, Mr. Marinakis reiterated that these are not vindictive audits or political targeting, stating “No vindictive action, neither in one case nor the other. Simply, the state functions, each service does its job. Let’s wait to see the findings of these audits and let’s not accuse anyone of anything.”
Pavlos Marinakis: His complete statement on tax authority audits
“How do you know they are priority cases? How do you know this? Do you know how many people are being audited? I’m answering, I’m answering… Do you know how many people… yes you asked me, I’m answering. Do you know how many people are being audited in the primary sector? Do you know how many other audits are currently underway? Do you realize that audits don’t happen during advance payments, but during final settlements? So this is the audit phase and this is also why some are rebelling, and the opposition hasn’t realized, allow me this specific expression, what’s happening in the country. That’s why some from the primary sector are shouting – a minority, I’m not referring to all farmers, to avoid the ‘tailoring’ of some media and some of your colleagues. Some few farmers are shouting because ‘the party is over’, because now the tax authority looks at everything, cross-checks everything, examines everything. Now is the time for audits, so there is no priority whatsoever. Those who don’t have problems shouldn’t worry – they won’t have problems. These audits are not centrally directed by the government; the government cannot do such a thing. They come from the competent services and if, since your colleague asked me, if someone will be arrested, I don’t know, I don’t have any such information. If there is an issue like the one with Mr. Androulakis’s associates and others, then we will have these procedures, but the administrative aspect is one thing – something that shouldn’t have been paid but was paid incorrectly – and the criminal aspect is another, about which we cannot have any insight, as it belongs exclusively to Justice.
So there is no administrative control here, no vindictive procedure. Everything is proceeding as quickly as possible. I remind you that within the framework of the Financial Police operation, together with other services, ‘bring back what was stolen’ – that’s the title – we have already had two very large announcement cycles well before the mobilizations. This started in the summer and will continue; audits happen daily. Regarding the Tempe Association, I remind you that this concert happened a very long time ago, not now. What happened now that various ‘supposedly’ sensitive commentators don’t mention? Another relative, another grieving person made a complaint. I imagine, since I don’t represent the Independent Authority, that the tax authority took this into account, saw it and is investigating it. Are there citizens in this country who should be above audits, or are there grieving relatives whom we should obviously listen to, and are there some other grieving relatives who should speak but we shouldn’t listen to them? Wherever we listen, everyone with their role – us with ours, Justice with its own, and Independent Authorities with their own role. Why shouldn’t a public complaint by a person be investigated by an Independent Authority? Who says this? And who will then answer, what will they answer and who and what will they answer from the Independent Authority, if this audit doesn’t happen? No vindictive action, neither in one case nor the other. Simply, the state functions, each service, whether it’s a state service or an Independent Authority, does its job. Let’s wait to see how this work will be done and let’s not accuse anyone of anything. Let’s wait for the findings of these audits.
What does one have to do with the other? One has nothing to do with the other. What you’re asking about is one – your first question was an audit procedure involving thousands of subsidy cases, tens of thousands of subsidy cases where a percentage flagged as red or problematic and are being checked throughout Greece, with various findings released every week and the total findings released every 1-1.5 months. The other case is a public complaint made by a person that logically the tax authority is investigating, but I’m not a spokesperson for the tax authority to confirm this. I assume it’s something like that, and what else you’re asking about is propaganda that started when some tried to build a narrative about company involvement with the party, with the government, because they were bothered by the criticism and the way certain contradictions were highlighted by a specific page. I think this has nothing to do with the other two. Beyond that, if there’s something, some complaint that has been made to Justice and isn’t proceeding and you know the specific complaint or case, come tell us so we can address a question where we can address it. But the fact that an article came out, so much has been written in this country… better leave it.”
