Insecurity Touches the Tycoons of Greece

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Insecurity Touches the Tycoons of Greece

Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times
Andreas C. Dracopoulos, of the Stavros Niarchos Foundation, has seen little giving.

By LANDON THOMAS Jr. and ELENI VARVITSIOTI

ATHENS. (New York Times). While money pours out of Greek banks and Europe debates whether or not Greece deserves its next handout, the people potentially in the best position to help shore up the nation’s finances are mainly keeping their heads down. Τhey are among the wealthiest Greeks — whether shipping magnates, whose tax-free status is enshrined in the constitution, or the so-called oligarchs who have accumulated vast wealth via

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May 24, 2012

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4 readers comments


1. Nicholas Kostopoulos wrote on May 24, 2012 9:26 AM	The First thing that Greece must do in the present state of studity (Greece now) is to change the constitution to make sure that EVERYONE pays their share in taxes. This must include the super rich, if they refuse then their holdings should be seized, and they arrested. Greece must start to act like a country instead of a playhouse for the few (PASOK, ND, Super-rich, and Tax Dodgers). Without this being done, the pain that Greeks are feeling now will turn to a change in government. Greece for the common Greeks, not the creators of this mess.

2. Philip Vorgias wrote on May 24, 2012 12:01 PM	There are many reforms which still remain to be enacted in Greece, tax reform is only one of them. The whole Greek economy needs to be modernized.

3. Nicholas Kostopoulos wrote on May 24, 2012 3:36 PM	You are right Phillip, but you have to start somewhere. The somewhere to start is where money comes into the government coffers. Also if you want people to pay their fair share in taxes, you have got to start with the rich. The rich get away with murder by not paying no taxes at all, or at the least some small tax amount. Of course this is to a beginning, afterwards it seems everything that is wrong must be changed. Unfortunately, In Greece this means everything. No wonder they have never been a prosperous country.

4. Philip Vorgias wrote on May 24, 2012 4:16 PM	Greeks are wealthy, Greece is poor. The people will support a government with their taxes when they feel it is spending the money wisely. Unfortunately in Greece that has often not been the case. Akis Tsochatzopoulos only got caught because he was too careless in this embezzlement. How many others hid it better over the years? It's been going on a long time in Greece, way too long.
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