The tax office blocks Poles’ accounts less often, but it is not known whether this is a good thing
The tax office has recently gained new possibilities. It may, among other things, block a bank account. It turns out that he uses this right less and less often.
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The previous government granted new powers to the National Tax Administration. This may, among other things, block the entrepreneur’s bank account without notice. All it takes is the suspicion that he participated in the tax carousel, even if unknowingly. Last year, such cases increased every quarter. There are fewer of them this year – Business Insider reports.
The tax office blocks Poles’ accounts less often
It turns out that in the third quarter of 2023, the National Tax Administration blocked 299 bank accounts of entrepreneurs under the regulations. For comparison, in the same period a year earlier there were as many as 464 such cases. The total value of funds held there also decreased from PLN 38.5 to PLN 23.87 million.
According to experts, it is difficult to clearly determine the reason for the decline. On the one hand, the system is effective and there may be fewer entities that participate in tax carousels.
On the other hand, criminals could learn how the STIR system works (ICT System of the National Clearing House) and they know how to bypass it, e.g. using cryptocurrencies. The third reason may be the higher skills of tax office employees who have gained experience and ultimately decide on the blockade.
The assessment is not made easier by the fact that the principles of operation of the algorithm that determines the selection of entities for inspection are secret and therefore beyond public control.
Therefore, we cannot reliably confirm whether the lower number and value of seizures is related to criminals bypassing the Polish financial system or, on the contrary, to the creation of settlement schemes that bypass STIR.
– says Gerard Dźwigała, legal advisor and partner at Dźwigała, Ratajczak i Wspólnicy Law and Tax Office.