Property tax amendments voted in

The amendment was ratified with 51 votes in favor (coalition government), 38 against (SYRIZA, Democratic Left, Golden Dawn and Independent Greeks) and six "present" votes (Communist Party and two independent deputies).

The amendment ratified in Parliament earlier aims at expanding the taxation base and distributing the same weight to more tax payers, the Finance ministry said the same day.

In an announcement detailing some of the changes in the amendment, the ministry said the mistakes and skewed numbers were corrected, finalizing the completion of "a first-ever comprehensive system to register real estate assets."

Changes included the following: lower property taxes for urban properties compared to 2013 (a 20% reduction, it said); the selection of the lower one of the 2013 and 2014 assessment prices (affecting 1.2 million taxpayers); a 20% reduction in tax for individuals with finished but vacant property without power supply (both private and commercial) for 2013; a 60% reduction for those that remain unfinished and without power supply; the exemption from taxation of families with over three children or with disabled members; the exemption from taxation for 2014 for all property on Kephallonia and other areas affected by earthquakes; and a significant reduction in hotel units operating as privately-owned enterprises.