Greek Supreme Court: Investigation for the actions of MoD Panos Kammenos regarding an ammunition sale to Saudi Arabia

Under the “microscope” of the Corruption Prosecutor are the actions of the Greek Minister of Defence Panos Kammenou regarding the case of the sale of defense material (300,000 105mm projectiles) from the stocks of the Greek Army to Saudi Arabia.

The prosecutor of the Supreme Court Kseni Dimitriou on the occasion of the revelations of Proto Thema, ordered the Corruption Prosecutor Helen Touloupaki to conduct a preliminary investigation into the circumstances under which the sale took place. At the same time, Mrs. Demetriou forwarded to the Corruption Prosecutor related press reports.

The intervention of the prosecutor of the Supreme Court on the hot topic of the ammunition sales will cause a political domino of reactions.

As it is known a few months ago, the Ministry of Defense began negotiations with Riyadh for the transfer of projectiles used by tanks to the Saudi Arabian kingdom.

Discussions concern the sale of 300,000 105mm projectiles from the Greek Army’s stocks to Saudi Arabia, with an estimated value of € 66 million. They will be used by the Saudi government for the ongoing military operations in Yemen, which have displaced hundreds of thousands of civilians until now.

In order to complete the sale, the Ministry of Defense signed a transnational agreement with Greek businessman Vassilios Papadopoulos, who appears as a representative of the Saudis. The Transnational Agreement between Greece and Saudi Arabia was signed on 13 June between the General Director of Defense Equipment and Investments and the intermediary Vassilios Papadopoulos at Mikra Airport in Thessaloniki.

Vassilios Papadopoulos argues that he was authorized by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, while according to Panos Kammenos, Vassilios Papadopoulos, is not a “middleman” but the representative of Saudi Arabia.

Apart from the purchase of ammunition for tanks, the transnational agreement included a provision for possible sale to Riyadh of Mk-82 and Mk-83 bombs, after the representative of Saudi Arabia put it as a prerequisite for the completion of the agreement.