Making ends meet IN HARD and uncertain times, a tax amnesty can be a fillip to the popular mood. Stelios Alivizakis, an engineering consultant struggling to survive in Greece’s depressed property market, was overjoyed when the radical left-wing Syriza government announced a one-week “special offer” for tax debtors. Anyone willing to pay some or all of their overdue taxes by March 27th would have the accumulated interest written off. “I’ll have a breathing space to get my affairs in order,” says Mr Alivizakis, who owes thousands of euros in unpaid income, property and value-added tax. Many hard-pressed Greek businesspeople reacted in similar fashion. The finance ministry’s tax website attracted over 100,000 hits within minutes of the offer being posted. Nadia Valavani, the deputy finance minister charged with trying to fill Greece’s depleted coffers, said €50m ($55m) was raised within the first 24 hours. She hopes another €200m will flow in by the end of the week. That would cheer government officials fighting to pay pensions and civil servants’ salaries at the end of the month. It could also avert a possible...
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