Hundreds of self-employed and freelancers protest new tax bill

Hundreds of self-employed and freelancers marched through the streets of Athens and other cities across Greece to protest the new tax bill that taxes them with deemed income in order to combat tax evasion as the government argues.

With banners and placards in their hands, hundreds of freelancers and self-employed, lawyers, scientists, traders, taxi drivers and professionals from other sectors such as physiotherapists  gathered in Korai Square on Wednesday morning and marched to the Finance Ministry at Syntagma.

Χιλιάδες ελεύθεροι επαγγελματίες διαμαρτυρόμενοι αυτήν την ώρα στο κέντρο της Αθήνας ενάντια στο νομοσχέδιο, που όπως καταγγέλλουν τους δίνουν την χαριστική βολή pic.twitter.com/y52vUkXmi1

— EFSYN (@EFSYNTAKTON) November 22, 2023

They chanted slogans against the government saying that it targets them as tax evaders. They called for the withdrawal of the tax bill that taxes them “horizontally and unfairly.”

Scientific and professional bodies took part in the mobilization: Plenary of the Presidents of the Bar Associations of Greece, Technical Chamber of Greece, General Confederation of Professional Craftsmen Merchants of Greece, Hellenic Dental Federation, Professional Chamber of Athens, Geotechnical Chamber of Greece, Technical Chamber of Athens, Hellenic Confederation of Trade and Entrepreneurship , Panhellenic Veterinary Association, Coordinating Committee of Notarial Associations of Greece, Commercial Association of Athens, Federation of Judicial Bailiffs of Greece, Medical Association of Athens, Union of Dietitians and Nutritionists of Greece, Panhellenic Association of Physiotherapists. Symbolically, the Panattic Federation of Associations of Professional Sellers of Folk Markets will participate in the mobilization.

Similar demonstrations took place in other major cities of the country.