ARCHIVED - Polaris World group still owes tax of over 24 million euros

Companies created by the former promoter of the Paramount theme park project are also among the leading tax debtors in Murcia

The latest list of debtors published this week by the Hacienda tax collection agency shows that although some of the companies in the Region of Murcia which owe most money to the taxman are making some effort to settle their outstanding accounts, many of the leading non-payers are the same “usual suspects” which have been at or close to the top of the ranking for years.

Heading the table is still Polaris World, the real estate development company responsible for the construction of various golf resorts in the Costa Cálida during the early years of this millennium. Hacienda states Polaris’ tax debt at precisely 23,259,873.44 euros, and although the company paid off approximately 200,000 euros during the last year another member of the same business group, Polaris Desarrollo SL, owes a further 1.36 million euros.

In contrast, the figures quoted for the second and third biggest debts have not changed: Desarrollos Nueva Condomina, created by former entrepreneur Jesús Samper, owes 18.14 million euros and Sistemas de Montaje y Tuberías Sureste another 12.56 million.

Sr Samper’s business activities still occupy other high places on the list, even five and a half years after his death: Santa Mónica has a debt of 11.6 million euros and Premursa, the company created to promote the failed Paramount theme park project in Alhama, another 3.1 million.

However, Real Murcia football club, of which Jesús Samper was president for 14 years, has reduced its tax debt by 700,000 euros and now owes “only” just over 10 million euros.

Other well-known names featuring in the upper echelons of the ranking include the construction giant Peinsa (8 million euros) and Proambiente, the management company of the controversial dumping site in Abanilla, with a debt of 4.7 million euros.

Image 2: Jesús Sámper addressing the press at a Paramount presentation in 2011 (copyright)