New arrears owed to the Greek state (tax bureau, pension funds etc.) reached 3.43 billion euros last May, according to figures released on Friday by the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE).
The figure compares with 2.81 billion euros in new arrears recorded for the corresponding month in 2023, an increase of 22%.
Overall arrears owed to the state total a still stratospheric 80.8 billion euros, even as 26.32 billion euros has finally been declared as “non-collectible” by the tax bureau.
However, much of the former figure is owed by businesses who have long ceased any activity, hastily bankrupt companies, and individuals no longer economically active or even alive.
Conversely, the number of individuals shown as owing arrears dropped by 5% yoy, to more than 4.253 million from 4.471 in 2023.
