Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 14-11-04

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Government wants to lower ENFIA property tax, says Dep. Finance Minister

[02] Head of Amphipolis dig: The excavation is conducted in the best scientific way

[01] Government wants to lower ENFIA property tax, says Dep. Finance Minister

Speaking at the 6th Thessaloniki Tax Forum, organized by the Tax Commission of the Greek-American Chamber of Commerce, Mavraganis said the government could potentially use ENFIA to fund local government organisations.

"Our plans for the immediate future foresee a continuation in the lowering of tax burdens…utilising the stable fiscal balance, the creation of primary surpluses, a broader compliance and the transition to a period of growth which will allow (the implementation of) these measures," Mavraganis said.

The minister specified that the government wants to lower ENFIA so as to generate revenue lower than 1 percent of GDP from 1.43 percent today and explore whether it can be turned into revenue for the local government.

The finance ministry is also considering cutting the maximum income tax rates for employees and pensioners to 32 percent from 42 percent and cut income tax rates for businesses.

Mavraganis also said the government also hopes to abolish data currently used to determine real income thanks to the information that has been collected for tax payers and the use of modern auditing tools, possibly for incomes declared in 2015.

[02] Head of Amphipolis dig: The excavation is conducted in the best scientific way

According to a Culture Ministry announcement, Peristeri on behalf of all the excavation group made the following statement: "Some of those that frequently appear in the media and express an opinion on our group's work, are neither archaeologists nor have ever taken part in an excavation similar to ours or, as far as we know, have ever participated in an excavation. It is at least unscientific for someone to express an opinion from an office not only for the subject of the research that he has never been involved in but as well as for an archaeological site that he has never visited."

Peristeri clarified that the "excavation is carried out in the best scientific way, at the right time and according to the needs of the work and the findings. Whatever is said that we are being pressed is only sheer perversity. We are working based on the excavation layers from which the sandy soil is very carefully removed. We remover the soil with tape which is afterwards sifted. Whenever is considered necessary, we use a shovel or a scoop for its removal. The soil over the floor's mosaic was removed very carefully. The careful reading of the two-minute footage certifies the above, however the commentators' superficiality outweighs."

Peristeri concluded "it is sad that these non-archaeoligists appear constantly in the media only to make bitter comments on the way we work without saying a good word for the whole effort and the people's struggle who work every day under difficult conditions in Kasta Tomb".

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