The shocking scandal of the Express Service minister

The revealing stories published by PROTO THEMA and posted on protothema gr., remain in focus, along with the unanswered questions to the Finance minister Giorgos Papakonstantinou - alias the Express Service minister - about the unprecedented favors to the businessman Giannis Raptopoulos, who owes tens of millions of euros to the State and Social Security services.

The public is dumbfounded, witnessing the information coming to light. Yesterday, Mega Channel’s main newscast took its turn presenting the aspects of the incredible scandal that the investigative reports of PROTO THEMA and protothema.gr have been unfolding in every detail.

A report that Raptopoulos, the major State debtor, is trying to gag by filing for interim measures on Wednesday…

The story of our colleague, Thanos Paschalis, on Mega Channel mentioned the remarks of A’ DOY in Kallithea, responsible for Raptopoulos’ company, to the Interregional Control Center of the Finance ministry. They asked not only to refrain from returning the VAT as demanded by the businessman, but also to have him pay additional amounts, which have been fraudulently received from his customers!

Unlawful acquisition of wealth  and then some!

The relevant tax office of Kallithea has been monitoring the businessman for unlawful acquisition of wealth, since besides not paying VAT taxes of 13 mil. euros, which he received from his clients, he is asking the State for an equal amount back!

The Interregional Control Center told the Mega Channel journalist that the audit for 14 mil euros, again regarding a request for a VAT refund, is still pending. The Center says that the audit has not yet determined if this amount has been paid, and yet Papakonstantinou has characterized the total amount of 27 mil as refundable toward the major State debtor! 

It does not make sense…

As already highlighted by protothema gr., and based on estimates by field experts:

-   The Roadside Assistance company would have been obliged to reform all the accounts of the past, without enjoying a VAT discount for its expenditure. Thus, if the company received a total of 40 million for example, and deducted the tax of its costs to pay the 27 million to the state (which is now seeking back), it owes the other 13 million that were set off and deducted as costs, so as not to give it back to the State through previous statements.
-   The VAT collected from customers should be given to those who "unduly paid" it and not the company, because it is not a remuneration, but an indirect state tax.
-   Even if the state were to give back the 27 million to the Raptopoulos company, "baptizing" it as its own money, which is extremely unlikely, it should automatically be considered as company income with a tax up to 40%, i.e. more than 10 million.

In conclusion, they say that the State does not have to repay the 27 million euros given back to Raptopoulos by the Finance minister, neither as VAT saved by the company, nor as income tax that is yet unpaid...