Sophia, who some say is residing in Montreal, Canada, issued a statement saying that arrangements had been made to settle all of these outstanding debts to the state.
How many debts?
According to the article in ProtoThema the family -or in this case Sophia who is handling the finances- forgot to pay dues to the Greek tax office from 2009 onwards.
(Remember that in October, 2009 her brother got elected as prime minister! How convenient...)
The money owed to the Greek state says ProtoThema mounts to more than 500,000 Euros in total, 300,000 Euros of which are overdue.
In her statement, Sophia Papandreou said that "there are past due taxes to the state," but added that "a part of these has been under arrangement since last year, and the installments are being paid regularly."
She said that another part of the taxes due "arose in tandem but is moving towards being arranged, in order to be paid."
The outstanding dues will be settled in full after the completion of a property sale, for which she will be coming to Greece shortly, she added.
Proto Thema, on the other, claims that the amount owed is from income and properties. It also claimed that Papandreou "appears irresponsible in paying her taxes" and that "tax authorities are auctioning off Kastri," her residence north of Athens.
The home housed three generations of Greek prime ministers, but according to the paper it is now burdened almost half a billion Euros worth of tax debt!
Sources told ProtoThema that the money owed by Sophia Papandreou comes from unpaid tax payments, especially on the Kastri mansion and the luxury maisonettes that were conveniently constructed on the property.
One of these ultra luxury maisonettes is currently being rented out to the former Prince Nicholas, son of the former king of Greece.
The paper also claims that between 2012 and 2013, Sophia Papandreou had given assurances that taxes worth 700,000 Euros, concerning mainly her property would be paid. Of the aforementioned amount, notes the article in ProtoThema, some 200,000 Euros have been paid, however there are still hefty back payments due.
Revenue officers are in the opinion that the Kastri mansion should have already been confiscated by the state or at the very least the rent from these properties should have been given to the state. And this is because every other citizen in Greece who delay tax payments for more than four months face legal action. In fact, a memorandum sent to tax offices stated that those who have overdue funds worth 50,000 euros or more are considered suspect for money laundering. Imagine owing the state more than 300,000 Euros!
Quite interestingly, the 5.5 acres owned by former prime minister George Papandreou’s sister at Kastri, is where the Galini mansion is also located.
The mansion that was inherited by her grandfather George Papandreou, (yet another prime minister), was characterized a historical monument in 1999. As such, it received a 50 percent slash in tax payments according to article 23 of Law 2459/97.
In 2007, Ms. Papandreou-Meneiko successfully appealed to the State Council to revoke this classification so that she could commercially exploit the property thus ending the tax break.
Her claims that Galini mansion – home to three separate Greek prime ministers – had no architectural interest came in direct contrast to a letter she had sent to former socialist PASOK environment minister Costas Laliotis in 2000 asking for funds to maintain the mansion after it was damaged by the Parnitha earthquake in 1999.
“I believe, Mr. Minister, that the area where George A. Papandreou and Andreas G. Papandreou lived and worked deserves to be conserved in its present state in order to honor their memory and work,” she wrote.(Lol... These people are incredible. At first they save money on taxes and get the state to pay for its restoration, -meaning you and me- and now they de-classify the property so that they can exploit it by erecting a complex of maisonettes so that they can make money from renting and selling them! ELEOS).
In fact two large constructions, each with four different luxury homes from 140 to 300 square meters were created following the declassification, complete with swimming pools, jacuzzis and all the comforts of luxury living.
Editor's Note - And then some of our readers wonder why we detest the Papandreou family and have a dire need to see them rot in jail. Go Figure!
Reference in Greek
ProtoThema - http://www.protothema.gr/politics/article/398280/i-eforia-vgazei-to-kastri-sto-sfuri/
Newspile - http://www.newspile.gr/61312/2014-07/500-000-eurw-xrwsta-stin-eforia-i-sofia-papandreou-gia-to-kastri-twn-triwn-prwthupourgwn.html
Exofitsio - http://exofitsio.blogspot.gr/2014/07/blog-post_137.html
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