Brussels, 06/06/2014 (Agence Europe) - The resignation on Thursday 5 June of Haris Theoharis, Greek Secretary General of Public Revenues, is a cause of serious concern for the European Commission, according to Commission spokesman Simon O'Connor.
O'Connor said: “Since his appointment as Secretary General of Public Revenues in February 2013, to head a semi-autonomous administration within the Finance Ministry, Mr Theoharis has played a key role in modernising and digitising the tax administration, increasing revenue collection rates, and implementing major new tax reforms for income and property taxes. The revenue administration plays a key role in the reform programme and this development is a cause of serious concern”.
Theoharis says he is resigning for personal reasons, but Greek press suggest he was pushed out. The Greek finance minister, Yannis Stournaras, is quote in the Financial Times as saying he would have preferred a tougher stance on clamping down on tax evasion, but Theoharis had done what he could. Theoharis says the latest figures show that the 280 recent investigations had only netted €80 million in tax income.
O'Connor said: “In conjunction with our ECB and IMF partners, we will continue to closely monitor the Greek government's commitment to a more autonomous revenue administration, as well as commitments to establish rigorous, transparent and merit based processes for the appointment of senior managers in the Greek public sector. We look forward to such a process being applied for the appointment of Mr Theoharis' successor, to ensure high standards of integrity and independence”. (EL)