Greek gov't dismisses top tax collection official

Greece's government has decided the dismissal of the country's top tax collection official Katerina Savvaidou, government spokeswoman Olga Gerovassilis announced after the end of a cabinet meeting on Thursday.

"During difficult times for Greek people we cannot tolerate state officials acting against public interests," Gerovassilis said.

The government had asked Savvaidou to render her resignation from the post of the General Secretary for Public Revenues after she was charged last week of breach of duty in two cases.

In the first she is facing misdemeanor charges for her alleged decision to extend beyond the legal deadline the time granted to TV stations to pay a 20 percent tax on advertizements.

The second regards her alleged choice to review a 78-million-euro fine imposed on a company a few weeks before January's general elections.

In her appearance before a prosecutor this week and in a letter addressed to the Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras Savvaidou denied any wrongdoing and rejected the call to step down.

She argued that her resignation would send the wrong message that she was guilty and implied that the government used the case as a pretext for her dismissal due to diverging views in key issues.

Savvaidou was appointed in the post by the previous conservative-led government in the summer of 2014.

The prospect of her early departure at a new critical period for the Greek program, where tax collection holds a key role, is said to have caused concern among Greece's creditors, according to local media.

Lenders' inspectors returned to Athens on Tuesday to continue the assessment of the Greek bailout that is a precondition for the release of further vital financing to Greece to overcome a six-year debt crisis.

The new Left-led government has promised to swiftly implement reforms, crack down on tax evasion and raise tax revenues which are considered crucial for the program's success. Endit