Parliament on Thursday approved a scheme allowing people stricken by the pandemic with overdue taxes, to repay them with installments.

The proposal had been tabled by Diko MP Christiana Erotokritou, who agued that the pandemic had affected the island’s economy across the board, creating problems in the payment of overdue taxes.

The law concerns 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019, and businesses that saw a drop in turnover because of the coronavirus.

It wants to encourage them to remain consistent and pay off their dues, Erotokritou said.

Participating companies will be disqualified if they fail to make nine payments.

Tensions rose in the plenum when Green party MP Giorgos Perdikis said he opposed the proposal because similar schemes in the past had been exploited by those who had money but were not paying.

Perdikis said nine politicians, including two MPs, owed taxes.

Disy MP Onoufrios Koulla argued that Perdikis’ claim had not been substantiated. He said businesses with a drop in turnover exceeding 25 per cent could join the scheme.

Responding to Perdikis, Disy chief Averof Neophytou said crooks did not pay taxes thus they would not need to join the scheme.

Edek chairman Marinos Sizopoulos said Perdikis should name names and be careful in what he said, claiming Green party officials had non-performing loans.

Sizopoulos had been accused in the past of voting on a tax amnesty bill, which he had used himself.