Χάρη στην απεργία είδα χθες την εκπομπή των Φακέλλων με θέμα την φοροδιαφυγή, η οποία μεταδόθηκε σε επανάληψη στις εννέα. Μια γενικώς καλή εκπομπή αν και οι εφοριακοί διαστρέβλωναν την πραγματικότητα (π.χ. ο διευθυντής εφορίας Ψυχικού είπε ότι ένας φορολογούμενος μπορεί να πετύχει ανακοπή μέχρι την εκδίκαση της υπόθεσής του κάτι που το Διοικητικό Πρωτοδικείο δίνει εξαιρετικά σπάνια). Σε κάθε περίπτωση η εικόνα που σχημάτιζε ο τηλεθεατής είναι μιας μεσαιωνικής οργάνωσης με αποσπασματικά έντυπα αρχεία, χωρίς ουσιαστική αξιοποίηση της πληροφορικής. Και βέβαια σπατάλη εκατομμυρίων ανθρωπο-ωρών με πενιχρά αποτελέσματα, εκτός εάν θεωρούμε την διαφθορά, τόσο των υπηρεσιών όσο και των φορολογουμένων ως θετικό αποτέλεσμα. Σκεφθείτε δε ότι λόγω της μεγάλης προτεραιότητας που έχει και έχει (πάλι, ασχέτως αποτελέσματος) η συλλογή φόρων, οι Υπηρεσίες του Υπουργείου Οικονομικών είναι πολύ καλύτερα χρηματοδοτούμενες από κάθε άλλη. Η λειτουργία τους όμως μου θύμισε μια σκηνή που είδα στην Μοζαμβίκη πριν από σχεδόν μια εικοσαετία. Υπήρχαν εκατοντάδες άνθρωποι σε διάφορα σημεία του Μαπούτο που έσπαγαν πέτρες χρησιμοποιώντας πέτρα για να “παράγουν” χαλίκια. Η “παραγωγή” της πόλεως, χιλιάδων ίσως ανθρώπων, αντιστοιχούσε στην δυναμικότητα μιάς ώρας λειτουργίας ενός σπαστηρίου σε ένα σύγχρονο λατομείο. Και σκέφτηκα ότι πληρώνουμε φόρους μέχρι πείνας προκειμένου να χρηματοδοτήσουμε μια στρατιά δημοσίων υπαλλήλων για να σπάνε χαλίκια με το χέρι. Το τραγικό δε είναι ότι αργά ή γρήγορα θα στερέψει το χρήμα και θα πεινάσουν και αυτοί (όσοι δεν έχουν ήδη πεινάσει από τις περικοπές).
Vassili,
ReplyDeleteI was sent two forms by the (Greek) government, one setting put in detail what we owed then and the second listing in equal detail the much larger sum they owed us. There is no facility to reconcile these on-line so we had to visit the tax office in person. We arrived before it (nominally) opened at 8:00 and, after being directed to the wrong floor, waited.
Sometime after 8:00 the shouts and insults of the waiting taxpayers persuaded the public servants in the office that they should start serving the public.
We queued to meet public servant (PS) no. 1. She typed my tax number into her computer, looked at the forms we had brought, and then went to recover another form from her files. It was identical in content to form we had brought with us and detailed how much the government owed us. She then directed us to PS 2
We queued for a while then PS 2 typed my tax number into her computer, bringing up a screen identical to that seen by PS 1. She satisfied herself that the numbers sent to the printer were indeed the same as those printed on the form we had been given, signed the form given to us by PS1 to confirm that their software was working correctly and then directed us to PS 3.
We waited a while and then PS 3 typed my tax number into her computer, bringing up the by now familiar screen, checked that the data on the screen matched that on the tax demand we had brought with us, and then printed off an identical copy of this document. She then sent us back to PS 1.
We queued again and I spent the time going confirming with Fani the pointlessness of the process we has gone through – to the amusement of another taxpayer waiting in line.
You can probably imagine by now what happened. PS 1 typed (for the second time for her and the 4th time overall) my tax number into her computer bringing up the depressingly ubiquitous screen, checked (again) that the software worked, i.e. the numbers on the screen were the same as the ones on the form printed from it, pressed a button to deduct the tax we owed from the much larger amount that we were owed by the government and then printed a receipt. In duplicate.
In my naivety I assumed that this was it. Wrong. We were directed to PS 4.
We queued then PS 4 typed – for the fifth time – my tax number into a computer, brought up the screen which I will now see in my sleep, then kept all the papers we had been given by PS 1 and 3, split the duplicate receipt into 2 and gave us one part back. We waited for him to do something. How silly – he was employed simply to split the receipt into 2 and keep one part.
We were now free to leave – but were told we had to come back in January – but not too early in January – by which time the government may have the rest of the money it owes us.
In contrast - I completed my (British) Tax form on-line (from Athens) on Sunday, and today found the rebate in my bank account.
Presumably the money they have saved not employing PS 1-4 above allows them to pay what they owe me.