Greek tax authorities are gearing up for one of their most intensive inspection operations of the year during the upcoming August holiday weekend, as millions of locals and tourists travel to islands and mainland destinations.
The operation, described as a “sweep,” will deploy specialized inspection teams to check businesses for potential tax irregularities. Officials emphasize that the audits will not be random: authorities have pre-selected targets using data from the national tax system, industry benchmarks, and records of previous violations, including companies listed on the so-called “blacklist” for tax infractions.
New guidelines clarify when and for how long a business may face temporary closure for tax violations. Immediate shutdowns of 48 hours are now mandatory if inspections reveal missing or inaccurate sales receipts exceeding 500 euros, or failure to transmit more than ten electronic sales records. Repeat offenses can trigger closures of up to four days, with subsequent violations resulting in ten-day shutdowns.
Authorities have also made clear that attempts to circumvent sanctions—such as changing a company’s name, legal form, or ownership—will not prevent enforcement, provided the business continues similar operations in the same location or involves the same or connected individuals.
The coordinated operation comes after earlier high-profile inspections across tourist hotspots such as Santorini, Mykonos, Rhodes, Paros, Milos, and Crete, where authorities carried out rapid audits and temporarily closed establishments for violations. Officials stress that the upcoming weekend operation will be even more comprehensive, reflecting the peak of Greece’s summer travel season.
