An additional “breathing space” – amounting to 350 euros per month – to all those who have debts to the State and to banks and have been subjected to seizures, is given by the Ministry of National Economy and Finance, as Kyriakos Pierrakakis announced in Parliament on Friday. The new provision will be added to the multi-bill expected to be passed in June, increasing henceforth the unseized bank account limit to 1,600 euros, instead of 1,250 euros, which was in force since 2015.
But in addition to limiting seizures, the same bill will also establish – for the first time – the possibility of a total lifting of the seizure imposed on accounts by paying only 25% of the debt immediately.
In combination with the new extraordinary regulation of up to 72 instalments for old debts, and the expansion of the extrajudicial mechanism that will come after the bill’s adoption, from July, the framework that applies to hundreds of thousands of households and businesses that are currently “suffocating” under the burden of debts and seizures will be radically changed, allowing them to regain full control not only over their bank accounts, but also over their professional and social life as a whole,
Who are affected by the measures
The new measures will directly benefit around 2 million debtors who are experiencing debt pressure.
Based on official data from the AADE for the month of March 2026:
– 4.7 million taxpayers (individuals and legal entities) had overdue debts to the tax authorities and cannot issue a tax certificate.
– 1.685 million of the 4.7 million taxpayers (i.e. one out of three debtors) were already under enforcement measures and have had their bank accounts seized by the AADE.
– but another 2.3 million debtors (TINs) who, according to the same data, were already in a situation where they “may” be subject to enforcement measures, are already in the spectrum of seizures.
As Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance George Kotsiras told APE-MPE, “with a sense of responsibility and full awareness of the needs of society, we are promoting a wide range of interventions that reach the vast majority of citizens and respond to real challenges of everyday life.” He stressed that the government is “significantly strengthening private debt management tools”, also taking advantage of the proposals of market participants, giving “a substantial second chance” to those who are making an effort to meet their obligations, through balanced regulations that encourage fiscal consistency and enhance liquidity.”
What measures are coming
A key measure included in the bill under consultation is the possibility of lifting the attachment imposed on a bank account if the debtor pays 25% of the debt for which the attachment was imposed. A prerequisite for this is to apply for and set in regulation the other confirmed debts to the tax administration.
Practically, it allows the taxpayer to gain control over his bank account, to withdraw and henceforth normally collect what is paid to him and to regain basic liquidity (for salaries, transactions and daily obligations) on condition that he pays – or if he has already paid in instalments – at least a quarter of the debt for which the seizure was imposed, together with interest and surcharges. At the same time, he will also have to organise the rest of his debts into a scheme that he will keep.
Although this is a new permanent facility that will apply to all those who are under foreclosure or subject to enforcement measures in the future for debts to the taxman, the provision stipulates that it will be granted “once per debtor”, meaning only once to each beneficiary. Therefore, those who apply must have made a decision that they will not default on their obligations, otherwise they will not be able to use the measure again. It should be noted that the measure does not apply to debtors who are in bankruptcy at the date of application.
72 instalments of €30 per month
The second measure concerns the new extraordinary regulation of up to 72 instalments for debts created during the energy crisis. This includes debts to the tax administration that were not settled by 31 December 2023, with a minimum instalment of 30 euros. Applications for inclusion will start to be submitted online on myAADE after the new law is passed in July, but will close on 31 December 2026.
The repayment is spread over a horizon of up to six years (instead of two or four years offered by the fixed 24-48 instalment scheme), enabling households and businesses to reduce their monthly burden and regain tax compliance.
A similar arrangement, based on the same bill, will also “run” in parallel for insurance debts to the KEAO/EFKA , where about 1.5 million employers and self-employed people have unpaid debts of more than €50 billion.
“Extrajudicial” also for small debtors
Complementary to the two previous tools, the same bill expands the conditions and thresholds for joining the out-of-court debt settlement mechanism, which offers debt “haircuts” and up to 240 or 420 monthly instalments for debts to the state and banks.
The minimum debt threshold for inclusion is reduced to 5,000 euros from 10,000 euros, so that smaller debtors are also covered, while for the first time the possibility of saving the main residence by liquidating other properties is given as part of the overall settlement.
Thus, those with a more complex debt profile can, after taking a breather from seizures and 72 instalments, proceed to a comprehensive restructuring of their private debt with the agreement of all creditors, protecting their main residence not only for debts to the state, but also for debts to banks and financial institutions. The new out-of-court procedures will start two months after the bill is passed.
Commenting on the overall changes envisaged in the draft law under consultation, Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance George Kotsiras noted, speaking to APE-MPE, that “in a difficult international context, the strong performance of the economy allows us to steadily return to society the dividend of growth”, with interventions aimed not only at debtors but also at families with children, pensioners and tenants. While underlining that the government remains committed “to reducing burdens and strengthening disposable income, so that the progress of the economy translates into tangible benefits for every citizen.”
The entire statement of Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance George Kotsiras on the new bill of the Ministry of Economy and Finance, to the AP-MPA
“With a sense of responsibility and full awareness of the needs of society, we are promoting a wide range of interventions that reaches the vast majority of citizens and responds to real challenges of everyday life. We are significantly strengthening private debt management tools, also taking advantage of proposals from market players. We are giving a meaningful second chance to those struggling to meet their obligations through balanced arrangements that encourage fiscal consistency, enhance liquidity and facilitate the functioning of the economy. At the same time, we are making targeted interventions to further support families with children, pensioners and renters. In a difficult international context, the strong performance of the economy allows us to steadily return the dividend of growth to society. We remain committed to reducing burdens and strengthening the disposable income of citizens so that the progress of the economy translates into tangible benefits for every citizen.”
SOURCE:APPE-MPA
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