Novartis

Parliament's Ethics Committee will be advising lawmakers to lift the immunity from prosecution of former health minister Andreas Loverdos with regards to the ongoing investigation into the handling of the Novartis bribery case.

The countdown has begun for the launch of a special parliamentary committee to probe the possible mishandling by former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos of the alleged bribery scandal involving prominent politicians and the Novartis pharmaceutical company after the submission Thursday of the relevant proposal by 30 New Democracy lawmakers - the number required by law.

Thirty lawmakers - the number required by law - submitted on Thursday a proposal to set up a special Parliament committee to probe the handling by former justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos of the alleged bribery scandal involving prominent politicians and the Novartis pharmaceutical company.

Greece's EOF drug safety authority has recalled two widely used stomach acid blockers on the recommendation of the European and American authorities after laboratory tests found them to contain the potentially dangerous chemical NDMA (N-Nitroso-dimethylamine).

Former alternate minister for justice Dimitris Papangelopoulos vehemently denied accusations by a former chief prosecutor for corruption that he had used his influence to intervene in her work on a number of cases, including the alleged Novartis bribery scandal.

Greece's former chief prosecutor for corruption, Eleni Raikou, presented evidence on Monday indicating that ex-alternate minister for justice Dimitris Papangelopoulos had used his influence, "in the manner of a pimp," to intervene in her work on a number of cases, including the Novartis bribery scandal.

Greece's former corruption prosecutor Eleni Raikou, who quit her post in 2017 over alleged political interference in the Novartis bribery investigation, on Monday accused former Alternate Justice Minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos of a series of interventions in her work. 

Greece's former corruption prosecutor Eleni Raikou, who quit her post in 2017 over alleged political interference in the Novartis bribery investigation, was to testify on Monday in connection with a probe into the possible mishandling of the original investigation. 

With a special parliamentary committee to be set up in the coming days to investigate the possible mishandling of the Novartis bribery probe, a judicial investigation into claims of political interventions is to continue Monday with the testimony of Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras.

Former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos hit back on Thursday over allegations that he attempted to influence an ongoing inquiry into the alleged bribery scandal involving Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis to incriminate political rivals.