Admit it, you thought the Italian national sport was football, didn’t you? Well, you are wrong. The actual Italian national sport is tax evasion.
Around 270 billion Euros never get declared. (Although, if this sum is not declared, how they can know it is 270 billion Euros is a bit of a mystery to me!)
The level of evasion in the Living Museum is growing too, or so it would seem from the numerous articles plastered all over the Italian dailies today.
Sky news, in one of its news oriented chat shows last night, tried to establish just why so many low-earning Italians can afford luxury boats costing, before running costs, around 1 million plus Euros a piece. Apparently the number of luxury boats registered comfortably exceeds the number of tax payers who admit to having an income in excess of 200,000 Euros.
I did try to follow the Sky program, but got annoyed and switched off (as usual) when each participant tried, in the Italian way, talking (which then becomes shouting…) over the top of the other participants, meaning that nobody, as usual, was listening to anything other than the dulcet sound of his own sweet voice. Even the chat show host was at it. But this is perfectly normal.
Anyway, I digress. If you are looking to reduce the amount you donate in taxes, then I heartily recommend hiring an Italian tax adviser. Or you could just move to Italy, pay only the bare minimum in tax, and wait until the next inevitable tax-amnesty. And should those nasty tax police get too close, you can always stuff all your dosh in a suitcase, as Italians are apt to do, pop over to Switzerland and open one of those nice numbered bank accounts for which the Swiss are famous.
Fancy popping round to my place for a few beers, a pizza, and to watch the Finance Police v the Evaders footie match this evening? I’ll provide the F24s.
