Press review July 9: Sudden death for tax evading businesses

A new bill would see businesses penalized with closures for tax evasion; the strike of 800 immigrant orange pickers in the Peloponnese enters its 5th day; open air opera delights Athenians; the number of MPs supporting a referendum over energy privatisation surpasses the key number of 120; and falls in exports threaten the economic recovery.

The Press Project
9 Ιουλίου 2014 | 09:35:34

	TA NEA Sudden Death for businesses that evade tax Tax numbers (AFM) will be seized What is in the draft legislation of the Ministry of Administrative Reform which was submitted for public consultation yesterday.
	EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON Oranges of wrath It is the fifth day of the strike by the 800 immigrant farm workers who are in a desperate state in Skala of Laconia [in the Peloponnese]. They are blocking production alleging a spate of racist attacks. Every Friday, instead of paying them, they send the police to their makeshift homes.
	ELEFTHEROTYPIA The temple of Olympiou Dios becomes Woodstock with Arias! Two and a half thousand Athenians with a backdrop of the imposing temple of Olypiou Dios bathed in moonlight watched yesterday the ‘Opera alla Greca’ of the National Opera. World famous arias, duets and choral pieces from the ‘Barber of Seville’, Carmen, Traviata, Nabucco, and Macbeth in Greek delighted the audience of all age groups.
	AVGI The front over PPC and the referendum The number of MPs in favour of a referendum exceeds 120 by a lot Fifteen independent MPs submitted a proposal for a referendum over the ‘small PPC’ (Public Power Corporation) aligned with SYIRZA, Independent Greeks, DIMAR and KKE. The sum of the opposition parties and a wide majority of the independent MPs are aligned against the government’s plans for the privatisation of PPC to occur in a manner that will bypass the plenary of parliament, as well as popular will. Even if the ‘selected’ majority of MPs of the 1st Summer Session of parliament approves the draft legislation this evening – something that isn’t at all certain – turning energy production over to private investors has a long and difficult road ahead, given that all of the opposition parties and the independent MPs who at heart have differentiated their positions from those of ND and PASOK and who for a while now have been representing the social majority, are demanding that the Greek people be allowed to decide. The breadth of the front as well as the opportunistic maneuvering of Samaras – Venizelos have put officials in a difficult position and caused fissures in the governing bloc. For a second day, Parliamentary Speaker Evangelos Meimarakis maintained, in opposition to the Prime Minister’s circle, that not only must the signatures for the various referendum proposals be combined, but that a plenary assembly of parliament must be called soon.
	NAFTEMPORIKI Exports threaten the recovery A significant contraction is registered over the first four and five months of the year Greek exports continue to be in the red, despite the small, fitful signs of improvement on a monthly basis, excluding, of course, petroleum products. For the four-month period January – April 2014, the drop reached 7.8% and 6.5% not including petroleum products, while according to the first projections, the first five months of the year will see further falls, over 8% and about 6% respectively, despite the increase in May of 1.5%. Exports underline the consequences of the hard euro on the efforts of Greek businesses to penetrate markets outside the EU.