Consumption plunge starves state coffers
The state’s losses from indirect taxes alone in the first couple of weeks of capital controls and the shuttering of banks is more than half a billion euros, according to a study published on Monday by the Hellenic Confederation of Professionals, Craftsmen and Merchants (GSEVEE).
The drop in consumption in the first two weeks after June 28 amounted to 50 percent, or 3.8 billion euros, with corporate turnover falling 48 percent on average. This meant the state coffers missed out on 570 million euros in taxes.
Nine out of 10 enterprises reported a decline in turnover, with three in 10 seeing a drop of at least 70 percent.
The medium-term impact will be more serious, argued the report, as it is unknown for how long the capital controls will remain in place, and small and medium-sized enterprises are in a difficult position as the measures came during a period when they were completely defenseless.
