The “bean counters” now running the finance ministry under the radical leftist SYRIZA government have apparently forgotten the tale of the “Golden Goose”, otherwise it doesn’t make sense that central government officials are demanding the municipality of Mykonos raise rates for leasing beach umbrellas and chairs by as much as … 120 percent!
The latest “class-based” directive out of congested central Athens calls on the internationally popular Cyclades party island to substantially raise beach rates, even though the local government had already foreseen an increase of 15 percent.
As expected, local entrepreneurs operating beach-side businesses railed against the prospect, saying the prices will eventually be passed on to holiday-makers.
Under the municipality’s plan, a business owner that leased beach space for 30 euros per square meter last year would pay 35 euros this year.
That’s when the high bureaucracy-sounding General Directorate for State Property and Charitable Properties stepped in, demanding increase of up to 120 percent. The highest rate would be tacked on to the famous Psarou beach, for instance, raising the leasing of a square meter to … 80 euros.
In the off-the-record mode, a finance ministry official said the ministry’s “experts” believe that the increases are normal in relation to the profit margins of those businesses — Mykonos beach bars, cafes, restaurants etc.
Of course, in much of the rest of the developed world, that’s where taxes on business profits and VAT remittances take their “cut” from profits and consumption, assuming that one’s state services adequately monitor and collect taxes and fees…
The island’s mayor, Konstantinos Koukas, has come out categorically against the beach hikes, dismissing the central government’s claim that extra revenue will mean more municipal money for whatever infrastructure works.
“The order by the finance ministry is unfair, disproportionate and causes an financial hemorrhaging beyond reason. We agree with an increase within reasonable margins, in the neighborhood of 15 percent, but not 120 percent that they’re proposing,” he told Proto Thema this week.
