“The Smile of the Child” called upon to pay 70.335,24 € in ENFIA Property Tax

PRESS RELEASE

Athens, 28 August 2017

“The Smile of the Child” called upon to pay 70.335,24 € in ENFIA Property Tax

Open letter to the Greek Prime Minister by Alexandros who was raised by the Organization “The Smile of the Child” regarding the unjust taxation imposed to his family

Despite the enormous efforts to have the just requests of “The Smile of the Child” heard from the Greek Government regarding the unjust taxation imposed annually to the Organization and despite the several meetings and oral confirmations for a solution, nothing has finally happened and the struggle continues.

“The Smile of the Child” is called upon to pay 70.335,24 € in ENFIA Property Tax! An unsustainable burden that will put an extra burden to the monthly budget of the Organization, like for any other Greek citizen. What it is not understood over time is that every 1€ of taxation is taken away from children in need and all this during a very difficult time when “The Smile of the Child” is struggling daily to ensure the necessary funding to continue its work.
Last year two of our children now more than 18 years-old and raised in the family “The Smile of the Child”, Alexandros and George decided to send open letters to the Greek Prime Minister Mr. Tsipras claiming what is just for “The Smile” and in hope of a response. However, there was no response to their letters.

This year Alexandros as an active citizen, an employee and member of the family of “The Smile” decided to send a letter to the Prime Minister in hope to receive a proper response. Alexandros took this decision upon its own initiative, without any manipulation and expresses its own views with passion. “The Smile of the Child” had the obligation to forward his letter to the Office of the Prime Minister and with pride it makes it public today:
“Dear Mr. Tsipras,

My name is Alexandros Nako, I am member of the big family of THE SMILE and since 2002 as I was raised in one of the Homes of the Organization until my adulthood. I am in the unpleasant position to extend a second letter to you as the first one seems to have no result given the fact that I’ve never received any reply from you or any member of your government. Since last year many things have changed to the better in my life and I now have my Master’s Degree in Tourism Management. I wish I could say the same for the Greek state, but as every year we witness the same situation regarding the taxation imposed on everything. Like last year, this year the letter concerns the over-taxation imposed to the voluntary Organization for children “The Smile of the Child”.

It has now become clear to my mind that you haven’t even taken the time to read my last year’s letter and this year you have imposed to our Organization even more taxes. More specifically, Mr. Tsipras, we are obliged to pay to the state 4 million euro in taxes! The ENFIA Property Tax, Vehicle Registration and Circulation Taxes, other property taxes and social insurance taxes. Last year, “The Smile of the Child” supported 100.000 children. This practically means that for every child supported by the Organization in 2016, the state collected 40 euro per child. Allow me to characterize the state as an opportunistic businessperson, which charges everything, even the souls of children. We are up to a point where we are no longer expect any reward from the state next to us only on award occasions and events, but we ask you to let us unhindered to continue our work. Regarding this practice of taxes, I have only two thoughts on my mind: either you are unaware of our work and our contribution to the society, either you are aware, but you don’t care.

I was in support of the state for many years in the hope of any small chance to create a social and caring state. Unfortunately, I understood that I was romantic as in Greece we don’t have a social state, but a state of taxes. A state that has collected 27 million euro from “The Smile of the Child” during the period 2011-2017. My answer to those that will rush to claim that the current government is not responsible over the whole amount of this money in taxes, I will remind you that some members of your party defended harshly all the Non-Profits imposed to “unjust taxation”. Of course, you were in the opposition back then and you were throwing the gauntlet to the respective governments. This letter is not a political manifesto against your party. However, you are now the Representative of the state. I want to stress that the fact that we have chosen not to maintain any party relations was turning the respective government and the state against us and not next to us. All governments and Prime Ministers of Greece chose to show indifference about the private social initiatives as these were not producing any votes for them.

Mr. Tsipras, I would like to ask you directly: which action you would like us to cut? Could we ever close any of our Homes and let our children on the street? Can we close any of our support centers for children and families and let the thousands of families that we support annually helpless? Could we ever sell our mobile medical units and let hundreds of newborns in their fate? The questions do not aim to create risks or cause the emotions of people. People in contrary to the state, is aware of our work and this is proved in practice through their support daily. Sadly, due to your stance these options seem even more realistic.

As an Organization, we are on the ground zero and I ask you to urgently act. We don’t need fake promises as we are used from these all over these years. We need the support of the state in practice. I don’t refer to the financial support through funding and grants as we are in the position to realize our work without these means. I refer to some tax exemptions applied to some other cases without any second thought, whereas for all these Organizations such as “The Smile”, you turned a deaf ear. As I did last year, I want to stress the following message: If we all unite, we will succeed” wrote in his diary our little founder Andreas. You must finally realize that the financial and social impact will be greater if you urgently take immediate measures. It is unthinkable to have our work recognized and awarded on the international level and face constantly with all these obstacles in our own country.

It is the duty of our society to protect everything that is pure and sound to offer to the public’s wellbeing. It is your duty to protect us as we have endeavored to carry a cross that the state refuses to bear for so many years.

Sincerely yours,

Alexandros Nako”

It is worth to mention that “The Smile of the Child”

• Since its foundation and up until today it has supported more than 1.200.000 children and the families in Greece
• It is originally a Greek Organization, the only Organization in Greece with nationwide actions, available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and the only one with such a wide range of actions
• It is staffed by 490 professionals and scientific personnel with the support of 2.770 volunteers nationwide
• It is active to the entire spectrum of Child Protection and is certified from the Ministry of Labor, Social Insurance and Solidarity to provide first, second and third-level degree services of social care.
• It is registered to the National Registrar of Private and non-Profit Organizations that provide services of Social Care and to the Special Registrar of Volunteer Non-Profit Organizations
• It provides services and implements actions, supporting substantially state structures and services
• It supports and cooperates with the institutions. Briefly: the incorporation of the Mobile Medical Units of Intensive Care for newborns and children to the National Center of Immediate Assistance (EKAV), its crucial actions in the field of Missing Children e.g Amber Alert Hellas
• It is audited by the competent departments of Prefectural Units where the 14 Homes of the Organization operate
• It is a registered organization to the Registrar of NGOs of the Service of International Development Cooperation of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Up until today the Organization pays with absolute consistency the ENFIA Property Tax, the Vehicle Registration and Circulation Taxes, salary taxes, property taxes, property levy taxes, taxes for the own use of property, rent taxes, donation taxes, as well as all the deductible taxes
• It has Special Memoranda of Cooperation with Ministries (Health, Citizens Protection, National Defense, Ministry, Shipping and Aegean, Education and Religious Affairs), Prefectures across Greece (Attica, Mainland Greece, Municipalities and other agencies.
• The financial data of the Organization are audited and made public annually by Ernst and Young
• The actions of the Organization target directly all children who reside in Greece, providing preventive services and information, whereas direct and immediate services are provided for certain groups of children. More specifically, for children victims of Violence, Missing children, children with serious Health problems, children living in poverty or threatened by poverty.
• It is internationally recognized for its actions, holding important positions to international bodies and organizations (member to the Board of Directors of the International Center for Missing and Exploited Children -ICMEC, member of the Board of Directors to Missing Children Europe -MCE, Member of Global Missing Children’s Network -GMCN, Member of Child Helpline International -CHI, Member of Eurochild Children’s Rights Network, Coordinator of the Southeastern European Center for Missing and Exploited Children -SEEC, Presidency to the EUROPEAN ANTIBULLYING NETWORK - EAN)
• It is also associated member to the UN Department of Public Information (UN DPI NGO) and has special consultative status to the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations (UN ECOSOC)

For more information, please contact “The Smile of the Child” at press@hamogelo.gr or +30 210 3306 140.