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

References

1. "Report: Siemens Scandal May Involve Top Executives". Deutsche Welle. 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.
3. ^[ permanent dead link ]
4. "Answers sought in Siemens scandal". Kathimerini . 31 January 2008.
5. "Siemens Scandal Causes Political Turbulence". GreekNews. 23 June 2008.
6. "Siemens Hit by Corruption Charges in Greece, Norway". Deutsche Welle. 2 July 2008.
7. "Former Siemens executive sentenced for bribery scandal". People's Daily . 29 July 2008.
8. "Ο Στουρνάρας, ο Κυριάκος και το τεράστιο πολιτικό σκάνδαλο της Siemens". hellasjournal.com. 2015-12-23. Retrieved 2024-08-12.
9. Μπακογιάννη: ο Τσίπρας πετά λάσπη
10. "Χορηγός μου η... Siemens". Ta Nea. 27 May 2010.
11. "Debt crisis: Greek government signs €330m settlement with Siemens". The Telegraph. 27 August 2012.
12. "Υπόθεση Siemens: Στις 24 Φεβρουαρίου αρχίζει η δίκη". Naftemporiki. 22 November 2016.
13. "Greece indicts 13 Germans over Siemens bribery scandal". Deutsche Welle. 9 March 2015.
14. "Courts issue warrants for arrest of Karavelas and Christoforakos". To Vima. 5 February 2014.
15. "Και τρίτο ευρωπαϊκό ένταλμα σύλληψης". efysn. 6 February 2014.
16. "Ex-Boss Could Help Shed Light on Corruption". Der Spiegel. 29 June 2009.
17. "Ελεύθερος ο Χριστοφοράκος". Eleftherotypia. 21 October 2009.
18. Οι μίζες της siemens
19. "Former Greek Minister Guilty of Receiving Bribe from Siemens". Greek Reporter . 28 July 2017.
20. "Υπόθεση Siemens-Πρόταση εισαγγελέα: Να παραπεμφθεί σε δίκη ο Χριστοφοράκος". Greek Reporter. 17 October 2017.
21. "Prosecutor recommends trial for ex head of Siemens in Greece over OSE contracts in 1999". Greek Observer. 17 October 2017.