EU could freeze accounts of Greek tax dodgers, says German economy minister

The European Union could help Greece crack down on tax evaders by freezing the assets of rich Greek tax dodgers living in the 28-member bloc, Germany’s economy minister told Bild daily on Tuesday.

If the new Greek government is serious about tackling tax dodging, the EU should actively support it, said Sigmar Gabriel, also Vice Chancellor and chairman of Germany’s Social Democrats (SPD) who share power with Angela Merkel’s conservatives.

“A part of that is freezing the assets and accounts of super rich Greeks with serious tax offences who (live) in the EU,” Gabriel told Bild.

Greece’s new Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his finance minister are touring European capitals in a diplomatic offensive to replace Greece’s bailout deal with the EU, European Central Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF).

[Reuters]