Increase in municipal taxes illegal and excessive says Garitsa Cultural Society

Garitsa "Alsos" Cultural Society has issued a statement concerning the increase in municipal taxes, stating the following:

"Recently, the critical issue of the excessive and illegal increase in municipal cleaning and lighting taxes has caused justifiable outrage among our fellow citizens, severely impacting household budgets and local businesses in Corfu. Once again, the Municipal Authority demonstrates blatant disregard for legality, as its decision contradicts the principles of justice and the case law of the Council of State.

The justification that municipal taxes had not increased since 2007 does not hold, particularly given that from 2009 to 2022, the country faced consecutive crises, including austerity measures and the COVID-19 pandemic. Corfu's residents continue to struggle with high costs and economic difficulties, making the imposition of exorbitant increases both unfair and insensitive.

Instead of seeking substantial solutions, the Municipal Authority chose the easy route of passing costs onto residents—without conducting any serious and updated study, without following a proper consultation process with relevant bodies, and without considering the constitutional principle of reciprocity. According to established case law of the Council of State, the unified cleaning and lighting tax must be allocated based on the actual degree of service usage by each property. This principle has been blatantly violated.

Moreover, imposing a uniform rate on all commercial properties disregards differences in the volume and type of waste they generate. Offices, which primarily produce recyclable waste, do not burden the municipality to the same extent as restaurants, which generate organic waste. However, no distinction has been made, disproportionately burdening small and medium-sized businesses on our island.

The Mayor of Central Corfu has repeatedly stated to our Society that ‘laws are meant to be changed.’ We call on him to apply this principle to the 2019 Government Gazette he references and to implement modifications that will ease the burden on residents. Instead of shifting financial burdens onto citizens, the municipality should rationalise its revenue sources by utilising state funding, municipal assets, uncollected debts, fines, and participation in national and European programmes. At the same time, a meaningful promotion of recycling—currently at a shockingly low 8%—is essential, along with the implementation of a comprehensive sorting at source and composting plan.

We urge the Municipal Authority to abandon coercive tactics and ensure full transparency by disclosing the municipality’s financial data. As a Society, we demand a rational and well-founded proposal that guarantees fair and sustainable waste management, fully respecting legality and constitutional principles."

For the Board of Directors of Garitsa 'Alsos' Cultural Society

The President
Alexandros Vergis

ELENI KORONAKI