What's been happening in Greece over the last few days is something of a small revolution: top businessman George Petzetakis, head of the world's leading company in plastic pipe and hose systems, was taken into custody to face trial for tax evasion to the tune of two million euros.
And then the powerful publisher and television producer Kostas Giannikos was seen in handcuffs, likewise charged with tax evasion. And the Greek tax authorities say that further arrests are to follow.
Now Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos has threatened to put all evaders on the chopping block - unless they turn themselves into authorities before Thursday evening and clear their debts.
More empty threats?
Finance Minister Venizelos has been threatening for months to pursue tax evaders publicly. In mid-October he sad he would publish online entire lists of names "next week." That deadline, however, had to be postponed for data privacy reasons.
On Monday, he set Thursday as the final deadline for all tax evaders - or at least, every citizen owing the government over 150,000 euros in back taxes - to pay up. If they don't report to the authorities by then, they risk having their names published online.
Despite the urgency with which Venizelos has gone after evaders, observers like political activist Dionyssis Goussetis are still waiting to see action. "We're all waiting with our tongues out for the list of tax evaders, which is constantly being postponed. I wonder if this delay is to give evaders one last chance to settle their debts, or whether some people are trying to gain a little time to cover up their crimes."
Too often have Greek politicians issued similar threats in the past, Goussetis added, only for them to disappear: It's therefore "no surprise" that the black-market economy accounts for over 30 percent of Greece's output.
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