Friday, May 25, 2007

Taxation in Greece is taxing

Applause!
Yes, yes thank you so very much.
After little over a week i finally managed to submit my tax form. *woohoo*
All i had to do was to wait in line at two different tax buildings, get redirected to another office just the once (for those of you who have been redirected countless times will realise how amazing this is) and hey presto one hour and three official stamps later, i managed to hand in the form.

Submitting your tax form in Athens can become complicated.
These forms can only be submitted at your 'local' Tax office which is based on your current residence. If you don't know ask your nearest tax office where you have to go.
If you have moved you also need an official stamp from your new tax office on your form before you hand your form in. Why i hear you ask? I dunno, thats just the way it goes.
I found out the hard way, after waiting in line for 50 minutes i was told that they couldn't accept it because it hadn't been stamped, as well as being told off for writing it by hand. Since this was my first time i had no other option.

Another confusing point is that throughout the document whenever it asks a question it asks you to cross (well you have to guess that you have to mark the box with an x) either Yes or 1.
Yes or 1? Whats that mean!!! Has anyone asked you to become a member of the church of Scientology and you replied with 1? I don't understand! Anyway with that cognitive hurdle sidestepped I manged to hand it in.

Soccer Fan Update
Athens is also looking a lot cleaner now that Soccer fever has died down. I was talking to a Milan supporter the day who was ripped of by a tourist agency back home. They sold him fake tickets and failed to book him a hotel room. But still he came on the off chance he could still find a ticket. He must have been one of the lucky ones because the first group of Milan fans he encountered he found someone who had a spare ticket. First though he had to listen to them chastise him for travelling without a ticket. "Whats this, how can you travel without a ticket? Where did you think you were going?" To each response he replied with the same answer "I am here now, is there a ticket?" So after half an hour of this someone said "Hang on, someone here has a spare, his friend couldn't make it" Without any hesitation he went for it.

But why is it that 10 000 English fans think it normal to travel without hotel booking, let alone without a ticket to watch the match, but completely strange for the Italians?

Anyway while i kind of miss them and the atmosphere, i can now walk in Syntagma and just lounge and wind down. Till next time.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Welcome to Athens mate!!! The kingdom of bureaucracy!!! Enjoy... ;-)

Unknown said...

looks like Turkey..))