To the Minister of Finance Mr. Christos Staikouras
The Minister of Development Mr. Adonis Georgiadis
Appl. Minister of Finance Mr. Theodoros Skylakakis
Deputy Minister of Finance Mr. Apostolos Vesyropoulos
Inside – Athens , 31.10.2020
SUBJECT: POMIDA protest about the new rent reductions, without measures in favor of the owners
Dear Ministers,
In the context of the measures to deal with the corona virus in our country, you announced that companies based in Regional Unit placed in the “Increased Risk” level for at least 14 days within the month and significantly affected according to the huge “expanded list of KAD April”, are entitled to a mandatory 40% rent reduction on their commercial properties, as well as their employees on rents main and student residence.
This list in April included not only the businesses that were then compulsorily closed (restaurants, shows, gyms, etc.) but also all the hundreds of marketing and service activities due to general traffic restrictions (by SMS etc.). But today these businesses will remain in normal operation!!! What is the reason for extending the rent reduction to them as well? For the owners who rent out properties to these businesses and the above workers, the only positive measure is the future set-off of 30% of the loss against their tax liabilities. No direct subsidy, as would be the right thing, or reduction of obligations, facilitation, regulation or any other direct relief measure, like so many others provided for so many other categories of taxpayers !!! Why? The possibility of optional rent reduction will still apply to businesses located in the “Watch” level areas (green and yellow), according to the expanded KAD list. On this possibility that we proposed and you correctly legislated for the last four months, you bear a huge responsibility for the lack of a generalized response because, as we have already publicly informed you, this is due to:
Firstly in the piecemeal nature (literally “torture of the drop”, month by month for September and October) of the ministerial decisions so far that determine for which categories of leases the offsetting tax refunds will apply, instead of concerning the entire legislated quarter of September-December .
We strongly protest because with what you have announced, you have once again exhausted all the harshness of your measures against the lessors of real estate in Attica and other regions characterized as “orange” or “red” , even for businesses in full operation, without positive measures in favor of property owners!
That is why we call on you to immediately deal with the problems they have created justifiable indignation to the property owners for the unequal and unfair treatment at their expense, but also confusion and mistrust in entering into rent reduction agreements, even though they would like to.
At your disposal for each clarification and cooperation
The President the Secretary General
Stratos I I Paradias Tassos Vappas
