Γραφείο Προϋπολογισμού: 12,5 δισ. ευρώ σε ανεξόφλητα χρέη και λύσεις με 120 δόσεις
According to recent insights from the Quarterly Report of the State Budget Office presented to Parliament, the unpaid tax debts in Greece have soared to a staggering €12.5 billion within just eight months, impacting nearly 4 million taxpayers. This alarming trend indicates a significant uptick compared to last year, largely attributed to the mounting pressure on families and businesses caused by soaring living costs and the “tsunami” of fuel price hikes along with rising energy expenses.
The report reveals data on overdue debts up until August 2026, drawn from direct information sourced by the State Budget Office. Previous official figures from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) only captured circumstances up to March 2026, near the onset of the Persian Gulf conflict.
Key findings from these statistics are as follows:
- From December to July, new overdue liabilities towards the AADE reached €9.9 billion.
- As of August 1, 2026, an additional €2.6 billion in overdue debts was recorded, which were due by the end of July but confirmed later.
- Only 6.7% of the actual overdue balance originated from regulated debts, indicating that less than 7 out of 100 euros owed were included in repayment plans.
Payment Dilemmas Amid Financial Pressure
These figures reflect the overwhelming strain of rising prices, a situation exacerbated during a critical period of energy distress, coinciding with the timeline of the first income tax payment due on July 31. The data underline the struggles of debtors in managing their historical debts while striving to keep up with current expenses.
The situation has led the government to implement a new emergency repayment scheme allowing payments in up to 72 installments, yet revealed an inadequacy for further measures necessitating even more installments. This context helps explain Prime Minister remarks during a Cabinet meeting announcing the extension of the repayment plan to 120 installments, stating, “in this challenging moment, we are providing more time and lower monthly burdens,” aiming to facilitate compliance for a greater number of citizens and businesses.
Total Tax Debt Projections
As of the end of July, total overdue debts amounted to €109.8 billion, with €30.5 billion categorized as uncollectible. The net collectible overdue debt stands at €79.3 billion, of which only €5.3 billion (or 6.7%) is under arrangement.
A significant portion of these liabilities—66.5% or €52.7 billion—comes from tax debts, while roughly 21.8% (or €17.3 billion) consists of penalties. This situation highlights the growing demand for debt restructuring options that include the cancellation of additional fees.
Moreover, nearly half of the tax debts stem from unpaid Value Added Tax (VAT), amounting to €24.9 billion (47.2%), followed by income tax at 42.2% and property taxes making up just 5.2%.
Trends in Taxpayer Demographics
At the end of July 2026, the number of debtors was recorded at 3,985,112, reflecting a decrease of 16,682 compared to the previous year, although there was a month-on-month increase of 129,337, primarily due to the deadline for the first income tax installment and new liabilities arising from income tax and VAT.
Approximately 89.8% of debtors owe sums up to €10,000, contributing a mere 3.57% to the total debt, while 0.26% of those owing over €1 million account for 74.4% of overdue debts. Households owe €43.65 billion (39.76% of the total), while corporations are liable for €66.12 billion (60.24%).
The category of debts below €500 remained stable, as they do not heavily pressure debtors with seizures, while liabilities between €500 and €10,000 experienced a slight increase influenced by structured payment plans.
Conversely, significant financial strain is observed for those with mid-tier debts ranging from €10,000 to €100,000, where an increase of €612.3 million has occurred. Debts from €100,000 to €1 million surged by €1 billion, while debts exceeding €1 million decreased by €3.72 billion, likely due to large amounts being classified as uncollectible and subsequent debt write-offs.
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