OT at TIF – Koromilas (Tax advisor): The announcements of the Greek PM were positive

George Koromilas, tax advisor, president of the Institute of Economic and Tax Studies and partner of ot.gr, characterized the announcements of the Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as positive, noting, however, that he was expecting to hear about entrepreneurship and the need for businesses to enter the new era.

Speaking at the OT FORUM, in the context of the 86th Thessaloniki International Fair (TIF), Koromilas pointed out: “I was expecting to hear of incentives that will push more businesses into the digital revolution.”

He said: “We didn’t hear much on taxes, but what we did hear was good news, such as the extension to a low VAT rate, etc.”

When asked what we did not hear from the Greek Prime Minister, Koromilas referred to entrepreneurship, where there is a need to transition to the digital era. “There must be incentives for more people to go digital,” he said, adding that there is a need for a premiums, for data security, for protection from cyberattacks, etc. “All these could help the SMEs to enter the digital age,” he noted.

We are becoming tax conscious

According to Mr Koromilas, we are gradually becoming tax conscious, “but we need a lot more time, not with sanctions, but with incentives,” he then added, because “tax revenues will support society.”

Regarding tax returns and why tax advisers were asking for a new extension for their submission, George Koromilas said that “something must be done with accountants – tax advisers becausebe they have been burdened with everything (tax returns, platforms etc.)”.

To avoid requests for an extension, he pointed out that “it is enough that on February 1 all public bodies, insurance funds, etc. will have transferred all data to the Independent Authority for Public Revenue. Make sure the entities are punctual and no one will ask for an extension.”

Everything is handled by accountants. “The average citizen finds it difficult to get into the fuel pass platform etc. and the Citizens’ Servive Centre tells them ‘go to your accountant’. But the accountant does not know everything” he pointed out.