Greek MPs decide on probe into bribery claim

ATHENS - Reuters

Greece’s parliament voted on Feb. 22 set up a committee that will investigate politicians, including former prime ministers, over allegations of bribery by the Swiss drug maker Novartis.

Court officials say staff members at the firm are alleged to have bribed Greek doctors and politicians. Novartis has said that, if an investigation finds its managers acted unethically, it will take “fast and decisive action.”

The 10 socialist and conservative politicians, who served between 2006 and 2015 and have been named in parliament, deny the allegations as a fabrication and a witch hunt by the leftist-led government to discredit them before elections in 2019.

Greek prosecutors referred the case to parliament this month. Under Greek law, it is the only institution that can investigate ministers and lift their immunity. After a 19-hour debate, a majority of lawmakers in the 300-seat house voted in favor of setting up a committee, which will assume the role of an investigating judge, by casting votes in ten ballot boxes, one for each politician. The coalition government, which was catapulted to power in 2015 promising to end austerity and crackdown on corruption, officially requested for the parliamentary inquiry last week.