Debt collection

Pressure is growing on state debtors who refuse to join the debt programs of the Ministry of National Economy and Finance. From September 25, according to the timetable, the centers for certification and collection of debts (KEBEIS) will be activated. The goal is for the two debt collection centers in Athens and Thessaloniki to operate under the same rules in order to avoid past mistakes.

Only those} who have small debts, under 10,000 euros, to the social security funds can repay them, while individuals and businesses with larger debts, due to the surcharges, burden the social security system with ever greater debts.

The tax authorities are increasing the pressure on state debtors through the creation of two new Centers for Certification and Collection of Debts (KEBEIS) in Athens and Thessaloniki as it accelerates the procedures for debt certification and collection.

When the two centers are launched, the judicial departments at all tax offices will be abolished.

The government is working on a draft bill for a comprehensive tax amnesty, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has announced.

Accordingly, the penalties for tax and premium debts will be deleted and the opportunity to be paid in installments will be introduced.

The National Revenue Agency (NRA) collected over BGN 4 million in outstanding payments in just 7 days.

Dozens of debtors have committed to pay more than BGN 9 million for taxes and social security contributions in the next 2 weeks, the NRA announced.

The average amount of debts that households cannot service is about BGN 2200, announced one of the large debt collection companies in Bulgaria. The biggest debts are piled up in major cities and in the northwestern Bulgaria.

The second lockdown, imposed in the country just a month ago resulted in a new decrease in debt payments to banks, telecommunications companies and fast loans.

The Development Ministry is planning to crack down on debt collection companies that instead of simply informing clients of their arrears use harassment tactics against debtors but also against their relatives, often even for sums as small as 20 euros.

Expectations for a new debt arrangement scheme, the exhaustion of the Greeks' taxpaying capacity and unpaid fines have sent taxpayers' overdue debts to 2.9 billion euros in the first four months of the year, with 2.73 billion of that being unpaid taxes.

The office of a debt collection company in southern Athens was targeted Monday afternoon by members of the Rouvikonas anti-establishment group.
According to reports, some 30 individuals entered the agency's office on the first floor of a building on Vouliagmeni Avenue in Aghios Dimitrios, and scattered fliers.

The Labor Ministry is expected to issue a decision next month to write off disputed debts toward the Single Social Security Entity (EFKA) and the Unified Supplementary Insurance and One-Off Benefits Fund (ETEAP).

The move is aimed at shortening the list of such debts by weeding out those that have been unfairly imposed.