Athens Chamber President criticizes tiered occupation tax abolition

Giannis Chatzitheodosiou, President of the Athens Chamber of Commerce and Industry (ACCI), has criticized the Greek government's recent economic measures announced at the Thessaloniki International Fair. He specifically challenged the tiered timeline for the abolition of the occupation tax, which creates a geographic distinction between businesses.

Under the proposed plan, the occupation tax will be abolished in 2027 for businesses based in the Regions, Thessaloniki, and the islands of the Attica Region. However, businesses based in Attica face a different schedule: a 50% reduction in 2028 and full abolition only in 2029. Chatzitheodosiou argued that this differentiation is arbitrary, noting that small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) across all regions face identical pressures, including high energy costs, inflation, and liquidity shortages.

Furthermore, the ACCI President expressed disappointment regarding the overall support for SMEs, stating that the measures failed to meet the expectations of entrepreneurs who were seeking meaningful relief to combat survival-level economic challenges.