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At a secret voting in the Parliament regarding the involvement of six former ministers from the government of New Democracy in the scandal with the real estate properties of the Vatoped monastery lawmakers decided to send their five of them to a Pre-inquiry Committee and for one of them (the former deputy minister of the agricultural development Konstantinos Kiltidis) the majority said through their votes they do not wish to have further investigation because they considered that he was not involved in the case.

The Pre-inquiry Committee before which will stand the former ministers will consist of 13 members and will have to submit its report by October 1, 2010. At the vote in Parliament yesterday attended a total of 282 members of Parliament who voted for each of the former ministers as follows:

Theodoros Roussopoulos: 198 - "for" 73 - against 7 - present, 4 - white voting papers, 0 - invalid

Evangelos Basiakos: 194 - in favor, 81 - against, 2 - "present" 4 - white voting papers, 1 - "invalid"

Alexandros Kondos: 186 - "for", 77 - against, 4 - present, 0 - white voting papers, 15 - invalid

Petros Doukas: 177 - in favor, 81 - against, 13 - present, 0 - white voting papers, 11 - invalid

Georgios Voulgarakis: 167 - "for" 91 - against, 17 - present 1 - white voting papers, 6 - invalid

Costas Kiltidis: 42 - "for" 212 - against, 16 - present, 0 - white voting papers, 5 - invalid

The implicated in the scandal with the Vatoped monastery former ministers and deputy ministers from the government of New Democracy yesterday in speeches from the parliamentary rostrum (Petros Doukas, George Voulgarakis, Evangelos Basiakos and Kostas Kiltidis) as well as those who sent letters (Theodoros Roussopoulos and Alexandros Kondos) said they were "innocent" and "victims" of political persecution by PASOK. Before the voting, the former ministers addressed the members of the Parliament asking them to vote listening to their conscience on whether they will "save" them or send them to the Pre-inquiry Committee.

"Clearly, the political decision has already been taken," said in a letter Theodoros Roussopoulos, who was not present in the Parliament that and refused to participate in the procedure. Costas Kiltidis demarcated from the case with the statement that everything was over by 2007, while he assumed the position of Deputy Minister of Agricultural Development in 2008. "I do not turn to you as if I’m guilty because I think that you have understood that I have nothing to do with this case," said the former Minister Georgios Voulgarakis, who was applauded by the Members of the Parliament from New Democracy.

"By sending me to an investigation on the basis of virtually nothing, you create prerequisites for the future for any Minister to be sent to investigation in the same way. You will encounter with this decision of yours especially for things that do in the current period because many of them are going on the edge of legality" stressed Georgios Voulgarakis, saying that he would defend himself in any way against anyone who "abuses his power" in order to harm him.