Penalties for messing with tills and rules

The tax administration will impose heavy fines and even shut down businesses for up to 20 months if they are found to have been tampering with their cash registers or using illegal software systems for hiding transactions and evading value-added tax payment.

According to an amendment to a tax bill submitted in Parliament, the tax penalty book is becoming stricter for businesses trying to cheat the state. The maximum penalty is a 20-month closure and a 100,000-euro fine when the violating party is a company or an individual reselling software or supplying technical support assisting violations or till tampering.

Among the provisions of the amendment is also the punishment of those who obstruct tax inspections, with stricter punishments for the use of force. Therefore, any violence or threats made against tax inspectors will result in the suspension of the guilty business’ operation by up to one month.

In case of the obstruction of the monitoring process using weapons or other dangerous objects, or if violence is exercised with an aim for bodily harm or risk of life of an inspector, the closure may last up to six months.