An administrative fine of 647,000 euros is imposed, by decision of the Minister of Development & Investment, Mr. Adonis Georgiadis, in a large supermarket chain.
The fine was imposed “because in an audit carried out by auditors of the Inter-Service Market Control Unit (DIMEA) it was found that it was selling with a higher gross profit margin in violation of article 21 (par. 4b) of the Legislative Content Act of 20/3/2020 (ΦΙΜΕ) ’68) “Urgent measures to address the consequences of the risk of the spread of Covid-19 coronavirus, to support society and entrepreneurship and to ensure the proper functioning of the market and public administration,” the Ministry of Development said in a statement.
In statements to Radio North 98 in Thessaloniki, the Minister of Development noted that “the law does not allow us to say the name of the chain (s.s .: that commits speculation) because any administrative act can be challenged in court.
If I say the name of the chain but justice says that the fine should not have been entered, for the X reasons that the court will decide, this company will be able to prosecute me and the state in the courts. We impose a fine and if it continues, we will check again, the fine is doubled and then tripled and then quadrupled. We can consider disclosure in case of recurrence of the same business.
“Today I will sign a huge fine, the largest fine ever in the history of Greek trade in a large supermarket chain, because in a series of products that we checked, it had a greater profit margin.”
At the same time, he commented on what was said in Parliament: “I will not comment on the numbers that Tsipras and Velopoulos mentioned as super profits. The mere fact that they are 600 million apart says a lot. You can not know what the profits of a company are for 2021 if it does not publish balance sheets… ”
Aggregate data from DIMEA audits
During the period of application of the relevant provisions and specifically from the end of 2021 until 24.03.2022, hundreds of audits related to notoriety have been carried out and are in progress.
To date, 24/3/2022, 48 infringements have been confirmed concerning the provisions on profiteering at Gas Stations, Food Supermarkets, wholesale companies of fruit and vegetables and fresh-frozen meat, as well as the provisions for exceeding the maximum price of foodstuffs. 19 in Diagnostic centers, pharmacies and clinics.
Fines totaling € 1,376,992.43 were imposed. The inspections continue at an intensive pace throughout the territory.
Source: Capital
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