It’s utopia to think that the DISY government and those seeking to continue its policy can combat tax evasion

 

Statement by AKEL Political Bureau member & Head of Economic Policy Charis Polycarpou

31 August 2022, AKEL C.C. Press Office, Nicosia

It is utopian to believe that there will be a serious fight conducted against tax evasion by the Anastasiades-DISY government – by the champions of corruption and entanglement/interwoven interests – or by those who want to represent a continuation of the DISY government.

The government, after seeing the magnitude of tax evasion grow, after asking for and getting a number of legislative tools from Parliament, and after seeing the annual reports issued by the Audit Office repeating recommendations that were not being implemented, decided this year that the problem is not serious. It has described the €2.3 billion lost in unpaid taxes as “negligible”.

Perhaps for the Anastasiades-DISY government such sums are considered peanuts because it is used to dealing with a lot [of money]. Namely, to grab billions with ‘golden’ passports, to shift billions in losses on to society from the looting of the Cyprus Co-operative Bank, to imposing haircuts on bank deposits an entire economy at the same time as well-known acquaintances and friends were taking millions of Euros abroad.

However, the provocation is enormous for a society that is suffering, because these revenues would offer various social groups substantial support from the State. Instead, the government has chosen to serve powerful economic interests.

There is no need for any in-depth analyses to address the phenomenon when the main aspect – the demonstration of political will – is absent. What is needed is progressive change in the governance of the country.