Siemens Greek bribery scandal

The Siemens bribery scandal in Greece is a corruption and bribery scandal in Greece over deals between Siemens 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 bribes may have been up to 100 million Euro.[3] These bribes were allegedly given in order to win state contracts.[1][4]

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.[5]

A Greek prosecutor, after two years of investigations, filed charges on 1 July 2008 for money laundering and bribery.[6] It has been claimed that it is certain Siemens divisions that were involved in the transactions.[7]

On 30 May 2008, a prosecutor's investigation took place at the offices of Kyriakos Mitsotakis for donations and grants by Siemens.[8]

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.[9]

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.[10]

As of August 2012, the Greek government has signed a settlement with Siemens worth 330 million euros.[11]

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.[12][13] The central figure of the scandal however, ex-Siemens chief executive in Greece Michalis Christoforakos, against whom European arrest warrants are pending,[14][15] 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.[16][17] Greece has been demanding his extradition since 2009, and considers him a fugitive from justice. Christoforakos during his trial in Germany testified to have bribed (2%) both the two political parties, ND and PASOK (through Geitonas, partner of Kostas Simitis, and Vartholomeos).[18]

In July 2017, Mantelis was found guilty by Greek courts of bribery and money laundering, receiving an eight-year suspended sentence.[19]

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.[20][21]

See also

• Siemens scandal; 1914 scandal in Japan
• Corruption in Greece