Galery

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Greek media published today a list of the names of participants in Greek political life, who have been subject to investigation by the Economic Police in the last two years.

It contains the names of present and former chairmen, of political leaders like Panos Kamenos (from Independent Greeks) and Nikos Kostandopoulos (from Synaspismos, now SYRIZA) and of the former mayor of Athens and a present member of New Democracy Nikitas Kaklamanis. The names of the members of the group close to former Minister of Defence Akis Tsohatzopoulos, who is in prison at present, and of the former secretary of PASOK Michalis Karhimakis are also on the list. Among the names is that of a present vice president of the Greek Parliament, Athanassios Nakos, who asked the Economic Prosecutor Grigoris Peponis to speed up the investigation. The list has made it clear that the verification of his financial data began in March this year.

The list indicates 36 names in total. The local divisions of the Financial and Economic Crime Unit as well as the office in Thessaloniki and the headquarters in Athens are carrying out the inspections in the areas of the Peloponnese, Central Greece, North Aegean, Thessaly.

Among the investigated are the names of Parliament president Evangelos Meimarakis and former ministers Michalis Liapis and George Voulgarakis, who are under investigation for tax evasion and illegal profiteering through the purchase and selling of real estate in 2005-2008. In the case of George Voulgarakis, the economic prosecutor and his deputy, Spyros Mouzakitis have ordered the opening of his and his wife’s bank accounts after 18 July 2012.

The list has caused serious turmoil at a political and social level as well as various comments and interpretations although it is only about an investigation, which will show whether the political persons have committed in fact illegal acts or not.

Parties and individual deputies have called for the disclosure of the names of investigated politicians to stop the rumours that threw discredit on all representatives of political life.

What is known so far is that the bank accounts of some politicians were open. For others, especially when the reason for an investigation was citizens’ complaints for illegal profiteering of politicians, court files were registered that are to be heard in court. As for the third group of cases, the prosecution brought them to the Financial and Economic Crime Unit.

Here are the names of the politicians who are under investigation:

Panos Kamenos - The leader of Independent Greeks is under investigation for the time when he was a regular member of New Democracy. The reason is property in the region of Itea and Galaxidi. A prosecutor’s decision to open his bank accounts has been already made.

Nikitas Kalamanis – The deputy from New Democracy is being investigated for the time, when he was the mayor of Athens. The investigation against him was initiated after filing a complaint to the Financial and Economic Crime Unit in June 2012. The charges in it were related to the preliminary investigation for the commission of illegal acts in the municipal radio station Athens 9.84. His tax returns and bank accounts in foreign banks are to be investigated.

Athanassios Nakos –The deputy chairman of Parliament has been under investigation since 15 March this year. The investigation is at the data collection stage.

Evangelos Meimarakis – The Financial and Economic Crime Unit has started an investigation after complaints were filed in the offices of the Unit.

George Voulgarakis – The former Minister of Public Order, Culture and Shipping is under investigation on the basis of a complaint filed. The check is in its initial stage.

Michalis Liapis – The former Minister of Transport and Culture is under investigation for profiteering based on a complaint filed.

Aris Spiliotopoulos - The investigation of the member of New Democracy started following a complaint made by a citizen. The Unit required that the relevant tax administration present the data for the source of the income declared by him and for his bank account transactions.

Michalis Karhimakis – A complaint for profiteering was filed against the former secretary of the National Council of PASOK, which indicated that he owns three hotels in Ierapetra in Crete. According to the complainant, he is not probably stated as the owner in the documentation.

Spilios Spiliotopoulos – The former member of New Democracy is under investigation for the period 2004-2005, when he was Minister of Defence.

Nikos Kostandopoulos – Former chairman of the party Synaspismos (now SYRIZA).

Elizabeth Vozenberg – The investigation against the former deputy of New Democracy has been ongoing since 2010 after complaints on charges of tax evasion were filed.

George Orfanos – The former member of New Democracy is investigated for the period from 2004 to 2007when he was Deputy Minister of Sport.
 
Marina Chrisoveloni – The investigation against the deputy of Independent Greeks is at the data collection stage.

Yiannos Papantoniou – Former Minister of Finance and Economy in two PASOK governments. An investigation against him and his wife has been underway following the orders of prosecutors. The Economic Police is waiting to receive details of their bank accounts.

Antonis Bezas – The investigation against the deputy of Thesprotia started on the basis of a complaint from a citizen.

Nikos Tagaras – Former governor of Corinth and current member of New Democracy. The investigation against him began on 14 October 2011 and is still at the stage of collecting data from banks.

Panagiotis Fasoulas – Former deputy of PASOK and Mayor of Piraeus. He is under investigation on the base of a complaint filed.

Elpida Tsouri – Former deputy and Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs, Islands and Fisheries. She is under investigation for the period when she was a deputy.

Filippos Foundis – Candidate for deputy from Green environmentalists. The investigation against him began on 23 April 2012 and is in its initial stage.

Alexandros Voulgaris – Former deputy of PASOK.

Leonidas Tzanis – Former Deputy Minister of Interior in the government of PASOK. The investigation began on 31 May 2012. His bank accounts are being checked at present and his tax returns filed are being analysed.

Ioannis Antopoulos – Former Deputy Minister of Education in the government of PASOK. The investigation against him began in April this year after the disclosure of his involvement as a lawyer in other companies that are subject to inspection.

Anastasios Mandelis – Former Minister of Transport and Communications in the PASOK government. The economic police conducted a tax inspection of his bank accounts in the course of the investigation of the cases of bribery from the German company Siemens.

Ioannis Sbokos – Former general secretary to the Ministry of Defence. The inspection was initiated by a prosecutor's order.

Apostolos Fotiadis – Deputy Minister of Finance in the government of PASOK. A complaint for profiteering has been filed against him. His income and expenses from 2000 to 2012 have been under investigation as well as his property status and the tax returns he filed.

Fevronia Patrianakou – Deputy of New Democracy. She is under investigation on the basis of a complaint filed at the audit office of the state administration.

Nikolaos Andrianopoulos – Former secretary of the Ministry of Finance.

Akis Tsohatzopoulos – Former Minister of Defence in the government of PASOK.

Fotis Arvanitis – Former deputy of PASOK.

Dimitris Apostolakis – Former Minister of Defence in the PASOK government with Prime Minister Costas Simitis.

Christos Verelis – Former Minister of Transport and Communications. Investigated after complaints filed against him.

Konstantinos Liaskas – Former minister.

Christos Zahopoulos – Former secretary to the Ministry of Culture in the government of New Democracy.

Petros Mandouvalos – Lawyer and a former member of New Democracy. Investigated after a complaint for profiteering.

Michalis Halkidis – Former deputy of New Democracy. Investigated after a complaint for profiteering filed against him.

George Patoulis – Mayor of the Athens suburb of Maroussi. Investigated after a complaint for profiteering.

Karamanlis Foundation – a charity organization that has been under investigation due to financial mismanagement.

The leader of Independent Greeks Panos Kamenos responded immediately to the publication of the list. "I want to believe that my name is on the list by mistake, not intentionally. I firmly state that I do not own any property in Galaxidi. Everybody knows that my family has properties in its region of origin."

At the same time, the economic prosecutor Grigoris Peponis has ordered the conduction of an urgent preliminary investigation of the publication of the list. The purpose of the judiciary is to find the public officials who are responsible for the "leak" in the media of official documents related to an ongoing criminal investigation.

To be continued