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At noon, Michalis Liapis was sentenced to four years' probation for forgery. The sentence may be cancelled upon payment amounting to 50 euro per day starting from the term - that is, around 75,000 euro in total. Moreover, Liapis received a monetary fine of 300 euro for an uninsured car.

Lawyers of the former Minister identified the decision as "vindictive." Upon leaving the court, they made statements to journalists.

Earlier, the prosecutor spoke about Michalis Liapis’s violations. Before the meeting, the senior official of Justice said: "Allegations about the charging of the car’s battery are childish and unfounded." The prosecutor added that "the amount of 1,000 euro is nothing to him – this is the cost of a luxurious lunch for him."

"He did not pay the fine because he regretted what he had done, but because if he had not done so, they would have taken his car," said the prosecutor. After that he defined Liapis as someone who is inclined to crimes.

Michalis Liapis’s Lawyers said that the former Minister of Transport did not attend the hearing because of the media. "If the court decides that he must be present, he will come. This is a stupid and reckless act, but there is no financial fraud. He paid the fees 8 months ago. He should be prosecuted as an ordinary citizen.

This is the second time that Michalis Liapis did not come to court after the deposition of 19 December and was represented by his lawyer.

According to the information, a statement of the former minister is expected in terms of his decision to use the right given to him by law not to be personally present in court.

It is noted that Michalis Liapis referred to an illness and did not attend the first meeting. The former minister left for Malaysia two days after his arrest after being caught driving an uninsured car with fake registration plates. He was therefore represented by a lawyer.

Liapis was forced to shorten his Christmas vacation. According to the initial information, he should have returned on 2 January.

Last Friday night, wearing a black hat and sleeveless jacket, he was the last of the passengers to get off the flight of Qatar Airways. In statements to journalists who were waiting for him, he said that he had not been travelling for pleasure, but for mental relief in order to calm down after this drama...