Parliament approves proposal to set up committee to probe 10 politicians over Novartis scandal
ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ ΑΡΘΡΑ
Greek Parliament voted early on Thursday in favour of the SYRIZA-ANEL proposal to probe 10 politicians over allegations that they were involved in the Novartis scandal.
A parliamentary committee of 21 members will be set up and the process is expected to last for at least one month.
Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras called on lawmakers late on Wednesday night to back a government proposal to form a parliamentary committee to investigate whether 10 prominent politicians were involved in an alleged bribery scandal perpetrated by Swiss drugmaker Novartis.
“I call on you today, ladies and gentlemen, to do the only fair and honest thing. To vote in accordance with the regulation and the Constitution, to set up a preliminary investigation committee,” he said.
“I want to say at the outset that I fully respect their inalienable right to defend themselves and also the presumption of innocence that applies to everyone until proven otherwise by judges and not by us.”
New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis on Wednesday accused Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras of interfering with justice in the Novartis case in an effort to “get rid of” his political opponents, during a debate in parliament on whether to set up a committee to investigate the bribery allegations.
Mitsotakis said Tsipras is cultivating conspiracy theories and vulgarity in the political discourse, while turning public television into a tool of overt propaganda.
ANA-MPA