Changes in 2017 road taxes “up in the air”

Time is running out

It is doubtful whether either the road tax reductions or the changes in heating allowance proposed by former alternate finance minister Tryfon Alexiadis will come into effect.

The finance ministry is currently reviewing whether to apply the changes planned for road taxes in 2017 and whether to provide subsidies for heating oil.

According to finance ministry sources, it is unlikely that the road tax changes proposed by Tryfon Alexiadis will be put into effect, due to time constraints. The former alternate finance minister had proposed a reduction in road taxes for old cars and an increase for those that were new, expensive and powerful vehicles with displacement over 2,000 cubic centimeters. A source from the ministry told newmoney.gr: “it remains to be seen whether there will be any changes.”

The issue of changes in heating allowance, which provides for the reallocation of subsidies based on climatic conditions even within the same county will be clarified in the coming days. “Changes will take place to the extent that they can be supported on a technical level,” said the source.

The minstry source ruled out the likelihood of the scheduled increase in the excise duty on cigarettes being eliminated or postponed, as had been requested by various groups, but added that the objective of the finance minstry was to reduce indirect taxation in relation to an increase in expenses.