In Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania, a large mountain of unpaid taxes has accumulated in recent years. Despite the pandemic and the consequences of the war in Ukraine, the tax offices were able to catch up here.

Schwerin (dpa/mv) - The tax offices in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania were able to reduce the high amounts of outstanding tax claims despite the pandemic and energy crisis. At the beginning of December, unpaid taxes of 113.2 million euros were still outstanding in 70,883 cases, the Ministry of Finance in Schwerin told the German Press Agency. According to the State Audit Office, at the end of 2019 it was still 138 million euros, which had criticized the high arrears in August.

According to the ministry, the debtors refer primarily to the corona pandemic and the energy crisis. “Declining or missing sales during the corona pandemic and rising costs as part of the energy crisis lead to not inconsiderable payment difficulties,” it said.

According to the Ministry of Finance, it wants to collect the arrears promptly, but also refers to comprehensive offers of installment payments both in the course of the corona pandemic and the consequences of the Russian war of aggression in Ukraine. "The aim of these measures is or was to improve the liquidity of taxpayers who have gotten into economic difficulties," said the Ministry of Finance.