Moderate tax breaks on the way

The Finance Ministry is planning to introduce targeted tax breaks in food service, transport and tourism, which will be gradually announced up to mid-June.

Sources say that the value-added tax on coffee will be reduced to 13 percent from 24 percent today, the support measures for landlords whose tenants pay 40 percent less will apply this year, and the government will offer state guarantees to airlines.

The government wants the expenditure on supporting businesses and property owners to burden this year's budget and not that of 2021, partly because that spending will be excluded from the streamlining program's calculations in 2020 and be financed by European funds.

The main problem is the tourism sector, as according to a top ministry official Athens will need to wait till end-May to establish what it is that companies in the sector need exactly.

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