Siemens Greek bribery scandal

The Siemens bribery scandal in Greece is a corruption and bribery scandal in Greece over deals between Siemens AG and Greek government officials during the 2004 Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece[1] regarding security systems and purchases by OTE in the 1990s.[2]

Although there is no conclusive evidence, the scandal has created a serious change in the attitudes of the Greek public, most notably a dissatisfaction with both main political parties in Greece, New Democracy and Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) and creating a "hole of authority" leading to a vicious circle of political instability.

It has been claimed that the political outcome of the case may be analogous to that of Italy 15 years ago.[3]

It has been claimed that the bribes may have been up to 100 million Euro.[4] These bribes were allegedly given in order to win state contracts.[1][5]

It has been indicated that a few PASOK members acting as individuals may have been involved, although this is simply a claim and nothing has been proven or at least any evidence come to light.[6]

A Greek prosecutor, after two years of investigations, filed charges on 1 July 2008 for money laundering and bribery.[7] It has been claimed that it is certain Siemens divisions that were involved in the transactions.[8]

On 30 May 2008, a prosecutor's investigation took place at the offices of Kyriakos Mitsotakis for donations and grants by Siemens.[9]

In 2009, the central figure of the scandal, ex-Siemens chief executive in Greece Michalis Christoforakos, left for Germany to avoid arrest, in obscure conditions involving the foreign minister Dora Bakogianni.[10]

Tasos Mantelis, former Minister for Transport and Communications during the PASOK administration in 1998, admitted in May 2010 to a parliamentary investigation committee that the sum of 200,000 German marks was deposited in 1998 in a Swiss bank account from Siemens during his administration, allegedly for funding his election campaign. A further deposit of 250,000 German marks was made into the same bank account in 2000 which Mantelis claims is from an unknown source.[11]

As of August 2012, the Greek government has signed a settlement with Siemens worth 330 million euros.[12]

Trials

The trial of the persons accused of involvement in the scandal was scheduled to begin on February 24, 2017. A total of 64 individuals are accused, both Greek and German nationals.[13][14] The central figure of the scandal however, ex-Siemens chief executive in Greece Michalis Christoforakos, against whom European arrest warrants are pending,[15][16] will likely be absent, as Germany refuses his extradition to this day. Initially arrested in Germany in 2009, the accusations against him by German courts have been dropped.[17][18] Greece has been demanding his extradition since 2009, and considers him a fugitive from justice. Christoforakos during his trial in Germany testified to has bribed (2%) both the two political parties, ND and PASOK (through Geitonas, partner of Kostas Simitis, and Vartholomeos).[19]

In July 2017, Mantelis was found guilty by Greek courts of bribery and money laundering, receiving an eight-year suspended sentence.[20]

In October 2017, prosecutor Georgios Voulgaris reiterated the warrant to bring Christoforakos (including five German nationals and ex-Siemens top figures) to trial, making it the third time Greek Justice made this demand.[21][22]

See also
  • Siemens scandal, refers to the 1914 scandal in Japan that involved "... collusion between several high-ranking members of the Imperial Japanese Navy, the British company Vickers and the German industrial conglomerate of Siemens AG."

References
  1. "Report: Siemens Scandal May Involve Top Executives". DW. 27 November 2006.
  2. "Greek prosecutor files charges over alleged Siemens corruption scandal". International Herald Tribune. 1 July 2008. Archived from the original on 12 October 2008.
  5. "Answers sought in Siemens scandal". Kathimerini. 31 January 2008.
  6. "Siemens Scandal Causes Political Turbulence". GreekNews. 23 June 2008.
  7. "Siemens Hit by Corruption Charges in Greece, Norway". DW. 2 July 2008.
  8. "Former Siemens executive sentenced for bribery scandal". People's Daily. 29 July 2008.
  9. "Ο Στουρνάρας, ο Κυριάκος και το τεράστιο πολιτικό σκάνδαλο της Siemens". Mignatiou.com. 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2016-06-21.
  10. Μπακογιάννη: ο Τσίπρας πετά λάσπη
  11. "Χορηγός μου η... Siemens". Ta Nea. 27 May 2010.
  12. "Debt crisis: Greek government signs €330m settlement with Siemens". The Telegraph. 27 August 2012.
  13. "Υπόθεση Siemens: Στις 24 Φεβρουαρίου αρχίζει η δίκη". Naftemporiki. 22 November 2016.
  14. "Greece indicts 13 Germans over Siemens bribery scandal". DW. 9 March 2015.
  15. "Courts issue warrants for arrest of Karavelas and Christoforakos". To Vima. 5 February 2014.
  16. "Και τρίτο ευρωπαϊκό ένταλμα σύλληψης". efysn. 6 February 2014.
  17. "Ex-Boss Could Help Shed Light on Corruption". Der Spiegel. 29 June 2009.
  18. "Ελεύθερος ο Χριστοφοράκος". Eleftherotypia. 21 October 2009.
  19. Οι μίζες της siemens
  20. "Former Greek Minister Guilty of Receiving Bribe from Siemens". Greek Reporter. 28 July 2017.
  21. "Υπόθεση Siemens-Πρόταση εισαγγελέα: Να παραπεμφθεί σε δίκη ο Χριστοφοράκος". Reporter.gr. 17 October 2017.
  22. "Prosecutor recommends trial for ex head of Siemens in Greece over OSE contracts in 1999". Greek Observer. 17 October 2017.
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