The countdown has begun for football companies, which have just 12 days to pay off the new tax debts they created, amounting to €4.1m, following the poor implementation of the government's latest debt repayment plan in May 2023.
At the end of the year, the ultimatum given by the Commissioner of Taxation, Sotiris Markides, ends, warning them that if they do not pay the new debts, he will contact the Legal Service, asking for their criminal prosecution.
By the end of the month, APOEL will have to pay €667,000, AEL €683, 200, Apollon €1 million, Anorthosis €188,100, Paphos €1.18 million, Ethnikos Achna €99,000, Ermis Aradippou €2,571, Doxa-Thoi Katokopias €99,700, Nea Salamina €954, ENP €400, Aris Limassol €51,800, Othellos €100,600 and OMONOIA Aradippou €29,200.
OMONIA Nicosia, Akritas Chlorakas, PAEEK and Karmiotissa did not create new debts, although they owe the state older debts.
AEK, Olympiacos Nicosia and OMONIA 29th May do not owe a single cent to the state.
According to "F" information, pressure is being exerted for a revision of the latest plan, with the increase in the number of doses, which under the plan amount to 168. Some of the unions in the last 18 months did not pay instalments or paid less than planned. Therefore, if the plan is restructured then the number of instalments will increase. Behind-the-scenes discussions have been going on in recent days both on the issue of restructuring the plan and on how to pay off debts.
On behalf of the Ministry of Finance, it is claimed that no new plan is being prepared, nor will there be a write-off of debts of the unions. On the other hand, the Tax Department insists that it will not spare anyone and is ready to initiate the procedures provided by law, that is, any football teams that do not pay their debts will be removed from the scheme and at the same time instructions will be sought from the Legal Service on how to handle cases.
However, some of the clubs claim that the reason they did not comply with the provisions of the latest plan was because the Government delayed submitting to Parliament the bill that increased (last Thursday) the betting tax. The law approved provides for the increase of the betting tax to 5%. 1% of the revenues generated by this tax will go to federations other than the CFA, while 4% will end up in the CFA.
Especially football clubs in the first division, the proceeds from betting will end up paying off their debts, according to the Ministry of Finance. A prerequisite for clubs to receive this income is the payment of their instalments