Funding intended to cover the operational costs of the Home for Children of “The Smile of the Child” in Kavala were offset in advance with future financial obligations of the Organization!
10 October 2017
PRESS RELEASE
10 October 2017
Funding intended to cover the operational costs of the Home for Children of “The Smile of the Child” in Kavala were offset in advance with future financial obligations of the Organization!
For once more “The Smile of the Child” is faced with the unjust and unreasonable tax and legal system!
This time, the pre-financing payment aimed to be delivered from the National Program of the Asylum, Migration and Integration Fund to “The Smile of the Child” for the coverage of part of the operational costs of its Home for Children in danger in Nea Iraklitsa in Kavala was offset in advance with future and not overdue financial obligations!
More specifically, “The Smile of the Child” awaited the receipt of the pre-financing payment of a funding of 69.804,57 € in total in order to cover the operational costs of the Home in Nea Iraklitsa in Kavala for the period 1/7/2017-31/12/2017. The Organization is implementing partner of the action “Funding of Organizations for the Operation of existing Unaccompanied Minors’ Shelters”. Children at risk, unaccompanied migrant and refugee minors and children victims of abuse, neglect regardless of ethnicity and religion that reside in Greece are raised in this Home.
This funding did not reach the Organization and the children that are raised in the Home and it was offset with future (for the next trimester) and not overdue financial obligations of the Organization such as income taxes, withholding taxes, vehicles circulation taxes etc.
The unreasonable offset of money that was supposed to give some breathing space to the Organization given the financial operational costs of one of its 14 Homes for children is added to the unjust taxation imposed on a daily basis on “The Smile of the Child”.
At the same time, despite the fact that a law exists in regards to the offsetting of pre-financing and middle payments from funded projects, it has been confirmed that this legislation has not been updated since 2012 and as a result it does not include operational programs that fund organizations that deliver actions of urgent humanitarian assistance in times of a humanitarian crisis in the country. The law only includes operational NSRF programs, the Operational Program on Maritime and Fisheries and the Program of Agricultural Development.
Given all the above mentioned, “The Smile of the Child” should continue covering the needs of children in Greece in a holistic way and delivering its actions despite the daily obstacles set by the state which in turn is supported by “The Smile of the Child” over the past 22 years.
“The Smile of the Child” will continue its enormous efforts to have its requests heard from the government on the unjust taxation imposed every year.
This problem is added to the list of these requests, whereas “The Smile of the Child” awaits for the past one year a confirmation of a meeting with the Prime Minister.
For more information, please contact “The Smile of the Child”, Press Team, tel: +30 210 33 06 140, press@hamogelo.gr
