New tax arrears by households and businesses in the first quarter of the year reached 2.312 billion euros, with the worst part of the Covid-19 pandemic recording during the period, which witnessed a partial lockdown throughout the country.

Of the figure, 684 million euros are arrears from March 2021.

In a breakdown of the total Q1 figure for arrears, 2,164 billion euros are unpaid taxes by households and businesses.

Out of a total population of roughly 11 million people in the country, more than 3.99 million owe a sum to the tax bureau, which may range from a two-digit figure to tens of millions of euros in arrears dating back decades – and now considered and uncollectable. More than 1.85 million taxpayers have received administrative decisions allowing the tax bureau to seize bank accounts or skim salaries up to the amount owed.