The sales tax break was created to help people on islands survive when lots of people were emigrating. Islands that are popular with tourists, such as Mykonos, fear that losing the tax break will make things very hard for them. But, for Agios Efstratios, it is a much bigger problem. “If we have to pay a tax of 23%, we will all die on the island,” says Kakali. Food and fuel are already more expensive than on mainland Greece. Even in summer, the island has only three shops, two restaurants and not one official hotel. “This is an expensive island. Everything, even milk or bread, has been bought and sold three or four times by middlemen before it gets to us and so is very expensive,” said Provatas Costas, a 58-year-old fisherman.
Why are things generally more expensive in Agios Efstratios, according to Provatas Costas?
There are many additional costs in getting products to the island due to middlemen The high price of milk and bread makes other products more expensive There are only three shops and two restaurants, so there is little competition between businesses The products are of higher quality than on the mainlan