‘Appodixi’ whistleblowers not getting paid
Taxpayers may prove to be the best allies of the Independent Authority of Public Revenue (AADE) in curbing tax evasion, but those who have so far scanned receipts through the Appodixi app on their cellphones and pinpointed tax evasion are not going to get a cash prize, as the draft law does not include a retroactive effect to the measure.
Therefore, after the publication of the law in the Government Gazette, the provision in question will be activated, which will give a monetary reward of up to 3,000 euros.
According to the latest figures from AADE, 230,180 citizens (179,405 Android devices and 50,775 iOS devices) have downloaded the Appodixi app on their cellphones. In fact, within 20 days of the announcement of the bonuses, approximately 10,000 downloaded the application.
Of the above users of the application, 140,263 complaints have been submitted, of which 62,786 are named and 77,477 anonymous. Notably, the application scans every receipt issued with a QR code. If citizens find non-transmission or discrepancies in the details of the receipt, they have the option of sending it to AADE.
According to Article 26 of the tax bill, the bonus for those who make a complaint through the Appodixi app and falsifications are found is between €100 and €3,000.
With the confirmation of the tax and the fine, the deposit will be made in the bank account of the citizen who contributed to the disclosure of tax evasion. Even if the business appeals to the Tax Disputes Resolution Division and then to the administrative courts, a process that can take several years, the complainant will receive the amount with the tax and penalty certificate, regardless of whether the company is subsequently vindicated for some reason.
In particular, the monetary reward amounts to 10 times the transaction value of the issued retail item for which the complaint was made, including the corresponding value-added tax, and in no case is less than €100, nor more than €3,000. The prize money does not fall under any category of income and is exempt from any tax, withholding, fee or levy, while it is non-seizable in the hands of the state or third parties.
