Comments in the context of the public consultation on the “horizontal” logic of the Resilience Fee provided in the new government tax bill are alarming.
In particular, severe criticism was imposed on article 21, where the new regulations for tourism and short-term rentals are gathered, based on which the new additional Durability Fee is imposed from the new year for customers of hotels, accommodation and rental properties. The reactions, in fact, resonated, from citizens and agencies, because it was reported that there was a 433% increase in Fees for Airbnb-style rentals, increasing from 1.5 euros to 8 euros per day in months of April to October. Citizens and agencies believe that it is unfair and unreasonable because it is applied horizontally without regard to the geographical location of the property or the amount of rent.
Beyond the public consultation, in public statements the institutional representatives of the tourism industry expressed their opposition to the latest tax data in a violent manner.
Specifically, the Association of Greek Tourism Enterprises (SETE) expressed its opposition to the measures in a related letter to the Prime Minister. In particular, the president of the organization, Giannis Paraschis, emphasized that the measures do not serve the national strategy for the spatial and temporal extension of the tourist season, because they do not take into account the real price level and geographical fluctuations, while they risk that reinforces the delinquency phenomenon.
And the president of POX, Mr. Yannis Hatzis spoke at the beginning of October, at the 3rd Regional Conference of the Panhellenic Association of Hoteliers (POX), with the participation of hoteliers from all over Greece, with the Endurance Fee in front, pointed out on the occasion of the new charge of hotel businesses, that we are at a “critical crossroads in tourism” and commented that “any surcharge on the selling price of our tourism product will have an impact on our competitiveness”.
A few weeks ago, on the sidelines of the presentation, in Athens, of the new “TUI FutureShapers Greece” program, which is a collaboration between Wise Greece and the TUI Care Foundation, Thomas Ellerbeck, chairman of the board of directors of TUI Care Foundation, but and head of the travel giant that this year in Greece, ended the year with 3 million. Arrivals and many arrivals point to the new tourism tax data, which in general should have a clear long-term framework. In particular, he pointed out that cruise lines’ planning takes place two years in advance, so any change to the current framework would be difficult to manage. “It is best that any change be discussed with everyone involved,” he emphasized, adding that travelers have a specific budget and that the money they spend, whether it is dedicated to taxes or directed to the local community by purchasing products. He emphasized that tourism is the main driver of development in many societies, giving as an example many developing markets that look to the sector for greater multipliers in their economics course.
Horizontal End
The horizontal logic of the Resilience Fee was broken at the same time by the citizens, in the context of the public consultation, who, among other things, note that “the accommodations rented for 30 and 40 euros, pay the same durability fee like those rented for 300 euros per day”.
“Those who rent a room for 30 euros per day in the house we live in ask for a durability fee of 8 euros? Totally prohibited, definitely should be reduced for room cases at least” another comment reads while another post says that:
“The 8 euros of the durability fee that is horizontal for everyone, regardless of the area or the rental price is too high, especially for small individuals who have 1 house and take advantage of it for a living. In most cases, the tourist will refuse to pay such a large tax and the owner will end up paying this cost from his own pocket.
The ones in uniform
“Pyra” collects article 15 on “increasing the special payment for night work”, which relates to the adjustment of the amount of 2.77 per hour of night work to 3.33 per hour of night work.
All the federations of the conscripts harshly criticized, saying that: “The Minister of National Economy and Finance should know that the title above the draft law is a false inscription for all the conscripts as long as there is no immediate and huge increase in the anachronistic compensation of 2.77 € which, it should be noted, remains fixed at the same level for years. This is the only way that our colleagues will feel really interested the state of them and it does not always bother them”. “Therefore we cannot hope to accept such a scandalous regulation without protest, when the issue of the capital to recognize the dangerousness of work with its legislative provisions, remains open with the hope that it will finally be accepted by government our proposals. » the Federations increase their positions.
Declaration deadlines
Regarding the deadlines for tax declarations and a tax deduction, many citizens say that there should be special care for the disabled, while accountants emphasize that the provision for a 4 % income tax reduction should be removed from the final bill if the declaration is submitted on April 30 because it is a month full of tax obligations.
Measures on the housing issue
Criticism was also recorded for the provision, which stipulates that from January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025, it is not allowed to register in the Register of Short-Term Accommodation Properties for properties located in the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Municipal Districts in the municipality of Athens. Also, it is given that with a simple MLA, the ban can be extended by one year, ie until the end of 2026.
In particular, citizens consider the measure unfair “for an asset that is in the short term to not be able to continue working in the same regime. Many people invest a little of their life savings in this place.”
They also point to the fact that an owner, nominee, usufructuary, sublessor or third party administrator, who engages in a short-term rental of a property, even if the short-term rental – rent is done through a digital platform or another. way, subject to an administrative fine equal to 50% of the income obtained through short-term rental from January 1, 2025 and until the control, which is not less than 20,000 euros!
TOMATOES
It indicates that in an intervention, in consultation, in provisions about closed properties, POMIDA is lined up that “the legislator’s concern about the loss of a few euros from this measure is greater than the concern that houses for renters come to the market”.
In fact, there is talk of withdrawing the provision for the Resilience Fee and re-examining from the beginning the series of short-term rental fees, if we are interested, as stated, in “strength” and “firmness” in it. in tourism in our country. This Payment must in any case be linked to the rental price of the accommodation, if we do not want it to be the beginning of the “payment” of the short-term rental … it is announced by POMIDA.
He also stated that the ban for the three municipal departments of Athens should be computerized by AADE, by blocking their postal codes, and not become a trap for unsuspecting tags -him or their tax experts, to impose huge fines. And the limitation of these apartments should be related only to new ATAK and not new AMA
At the same time, POMIDA pointed out that the 36-month tax exemption must be related to the property and not to the original specific tenant, ie remain in force even if there is a change of tenant for any reason within three years.
It also recommends a reasonable reduction in the percentage of the heaviest tax rates on the rent scale, which is the main and permanent cause of the increase in rents and doubling the rates of GNI reduction to 40% and up to 20% for residences with a value of more than €500,000, to be a tempting incentive to insure them, which will soon yield several times the tax income.