ND blasts government over OECD data on taxation
New Democracy’s shadow finance minister Apostolis Vesyropoulos said the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development’s (OECD) 2018 report on tax policy reforms that shows Greece leading among its members in the increase of tax burdens in 2015-2016 is a “slap in the face” for the government.
Vesyropoulos says the report shows the government, led by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, “imposed the most taxes worldwide, in the years 2015-2016.”
“The sad worldwide lead of Mr Tsipras' government is another proof of the irrational tax policy he follows. His government's choice to impose crippling taxes stifles the economy bringing weak growth and leads to the impoverishment of more and more citizens,” he said in a statement, adding that the trend worldwide is currently to reduce tax burdens for businesses and individuals.
According to the OECD report, Greece experienced the largest increase in the tax-to-GDP ratios in the years 2015-2016 among OECD countries.
The report cites the higher revenues from taxes on income and goods and services, which were partly the consequence of tax increases aimed at enhancing the country’s fiscal sustainability.
The tax-to-GDP ratio also increased above one percentage point in the Netherlands, Latvia, Korea and Poland.
