New accusations against Swiss banks, which facilitated tax evasion and thus the outflow of German money to Singapore, are the focus of today's German press.
The German state of North Rhine-Westphalia, despite the opposition of the official Berlin, has again bought from anonymous informants CDs with confidential information about German taxpayers who hide taxes in Switzerland.
And not only that, the instructions given by Swiss banks to clients on how to evade taxes were also revealed, reports DW.
The latest information is that German money from Switzerland is going to Singapore and other "safer ports". All this jeopardizes the tax agreement between Germany and Switzerland, according to which the latter must tax Germans as harshly as is the case in Germany.
"Why should banks, which have made good business on tax evasion, that is, on directing money to the state in the Alps, have to question every 'help' to their loyal clients? Banks cannot be trusted.
"Why should banks, which have made a good business out of tax evasion, i.e. directing money to the state in the Alps, have to question every 'help' to their loyal clients? Banks cannot be trusted"
They have no discretion in that. "Whether it's about the transfer of questionable money to Singapore or another tax haven - creativity in such operations remains high in any case," experts say, as reported by DW.
"If the accusations from Dusseldorf are confirmed, it will violate the spirit of bilateral cooperation with Switzerland, as well as attempts to obtain appropriate documents from banks in Germany.
Such an approach would be short-sighted, but it would accelerate the exchange of information at the level of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. A request for help has already arrived.
The services of UBS bank and its advisers to tax defaulters is a big enough warning. After all, it is not only the position of one bank that is at risk, but the entire financial position of Switzerland," writes the German media.
"There are also those who support the purchase of CDs with data indicating tax evasion. Only from such cases the state managed to fill the state coffers with hundreds of millions of euros".
"Frankfurter Rundschau" asks the question: "Which is more moral in the fight against economic crime - the opportunities arising from the German-Swiss agreement or the purchase of a disk with information, which indicates a large tax evasion?
"The essence is not only in the flat-rate taxation of citizens in the last ten years. This would make treasuries and state coffers gain in the future. If states use their measures to block the possibility of greater honesty in paying taxes, they will end up empty-handed."
Probably neither. However, it would be more reasonable if the agreement between Bern and Berlin was finally ratified."
"Stuttgarter Zeitung" deals with the content of the mentioned agreement and claims that it is not bad at all.
"The essence is not only in flat-rate taxation of citizens in the last ten years. Treasurys and state coffers would benefit from this in the future. If states use their measures to block the possibility of greater honesty in paying taxes, they will end up empty-handed."
"Mannheimer morgen" has a different view.
"If Swiss banks can provide their German clients with illegally acquired money on time, that is, before 2013, when the agreement would come into force that would enable a lump-sum payment of taxes - then it would be worthless in the end.
On the other hand, if its ratification is absent, everything will remain as before. Wouldn't that be tragic?
As long as Switzerland is not ready to accept the appropriate agreements, tax evaders can count on the fact that it will be warmer in hell, only sometimes when a CD is in play again", comments the paper.
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