December 2, 2011
Few measures have elicited more anger – or ingenious forms of revolt – than the property tax announced by Greek ministers to plug a budget black hole that might have gone unnoticed had Greece's plight not threatened the entire eurozone.
In the three months since the government conceived of boosting revenues by including the household duty in electricity bills, local mayors, leftist politicians, unions, lawyers, property owners and the public power corporation have all vowed to do whatever they can to stop the law.
Already suffering wage cuts, benefit losses and tax increases, many have said that even if they wanted to, they simply couldn't cough up.
Officials say those who refuse will have their electricity cut off.
Even by the standards of Greece, where an estimated 30% of the economy goes unrecorded, the backlash to the levy has taken officials by surprise. With the public power corporation flicking the switch on the health ministry last month – in protest at its failure to pay its bills – and militant unionists pledging to picket electricity boards across the land next week, civil disobedience is on the rise.
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