Samaras

Former prime minister Antonis Samaras one week ago adopted an aggressive stance on Greek national issues.

He did so in a flashy manner on the eve of the resumption of exploratory talks with neighbouring Turkey in Istanbul.

In his recent interview with Kathimerini, former prime minister Antonis Samaras put forward a number of arguments concerning the exploratory contacts between Greece and Turkey and shed light on an important aspect of the issue by expressing the belief - shared by a part of Greek society and certainly by a large part of the ruling center-right party - that it is not in Greece's interest to negot

"You do not appease the expansionist. That way he becomes even more ruthless," Antonis Samaras told Kathimerini, noting exploratory contacts with Ankara, which started yesterday in Istanbul, cancel possible sanctions on Turkey.

Exploratory talks between Greece and Turkey remove the prospect of EU sanctions against Ankara over its illegal activities in the East Mediterranean, ex-prime minister Antonis Samaras told Kathimerini on Sunday, also cautioning against recourse to the International Court of Justice.

Former justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos on Thursday requested a month-long extension to prepare his defense to a parliamentary committee investigating allegations that he sought to influence a judicial probe into the Novartis bribery affair.

One day after Greek-Israeli businessman Sabby Mionis accused former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos, the publisher of Dimokratia newspaper Ioannis Filippakis and two journalists of blackmail in 2016, the parliamentary committee probing the handling of the Novartis case by the former SYRIZA administration on Thursday summoned ex-digital policy minister Nikos Pappas to testify

Testifying before the Parliament committee probing the handling of the Novartis case by the previous government, Greek-Israeli businessman Sabby Mionis accused former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos, the publisher of the Dimokratia newspaper, Ioannis Filippakis, and two journalists of blackmail in 2016.

Testifying on Friday in the probe into the alleged bribery scandal implicating Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis and Greek politicians and doctors, deputy prosecutor Ioannis Angelis alleged that there was an organized plan to jail three politicians, including former prime minister Antonis Samaras, on the eve of national elections last year. 

Testifying on Friday in the probe of the alleged bribery scandal implicating Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis, Greek politicians and doctors, deputy prosecutor Ioannis Angelis alleged that there was an organized plan to jail three politicians, including former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, on the eve of national elections last year. 

Parliament on Wednesday backed a controversial legal amendment that will prevent northern Greek soccer clubs PAOK and Xanthi from being relegated due to alleged infringement of ownership rules.
The amendment passed by 156 votes to 90. Fifty-four deputies abstained.
Antonis Samaras, a former prime minister, and Giorgos Vagonias from New Democracy were absent from the vote.