Bribery

Varna. An inspector from the Varna prison was detained on August 27 over corruption. There is evidence that he financially benefited from inmates' payments in relation to their legal status, the Appellate Prosecutor's Office - Varna said. Yesterday the inspector and an accomplice were charged with bribery.

Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis on Tuesday returned to judicial authorities a file on the alleged bribery scandal involving Swiss drug manufacturer Novartis, after a parliamentary committee completed a fruitless inquiry into the 10 politicians named in the case and concluded it is not competent to examine it.

Greece's parliament has no jurisdiction to investigate the role of ten politicians in alleged bribes by Swiss drugmaker Novartis, lawmakers ruled on Saturday, in a controversy which has further polarized a deeply divided political landscape.

Greek Communist Party (KKE) chief Dimitris Koutsoubas said party deputies will walk out of Parliament ahead of a vote on whether to request the prosecution of 10 prominent politicians named in a bribery scandal involving Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis, in the final stage of a parliamentary inquiry into the case.

The long-running saga of a parliamentary investigation into a bribery scandal involving the Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis will enter its final phase on Friday, as the House will meet to discuss and vote on the final committee report.

An Athens appeals council on Friday indicted businessman Evangelos Mytilineos and a former CEO of Public Power Corporation, Stergios Nezis, on bribery and money laundering charges respectively, in a case that dates from 2003.

Ex-Minister of Public Finance Sebastian Vladescu is facing criminal proceedings initiated against him by DNA (National Anti-Corruption Directorate) for two counts of bribery and influence peddling, on an ongoing basis.

UEFA has welcomed a Greek court decision to convict 58 club officials, managers, and others for up to 10 years in prison for a match-fixing scandal in 2011.

The officials were convicted on a variety of charges - among them bribery, illegal gambling, and money laundering - and include former officials of the top-flight league and the Greek Football Association.

A rift is growing within the union representing Greece's judges and prosecutors over a disagreement about how to deal with the Novartis bribery investigation.

Greece’s parliament voted on Feb. 22 set up a committee that will investigate politicians, including former prime ministers, over allegations of bribery by the Swiss drug maker Novartis.