Tax evasion and violence

The repeated acts of violence against tax inspectors of Greece’s Independent Authority for Public Revenue should not be treated as common offenses. They are far more serious. An attack on unarmed public servants who serve in an important branch of the state is an act of brutal antisocial behavior – which is even more repugnant than tax evasion itself.

It is therefore incumbent upon the government to act swiftly and decisively on yesterday’s pledges it made to punish the perpetrators of such violent actions more severely. At the same time, it must also see to it as a matter of priority that the safety of the country’s tax inspectors is guaranteed.