Ex-minister summoned again over frigate contracts

Ex-defense minister Yiannos Papantoniou, who had been accused of taking kickbacks for the 2003 contract to secure the purchase of six Hellenic Navy frigates, was summoned on Monday to provide further testimony.

The former socialist minister requested and was given an extension until April 22 to prepare. His wife Stavroula Kourakou has also been summoned to give further testimony on the same day.

Papantoniou spent 17 months from October 2018 until April 2020 in pre-trial detention on money laundering charges.

Papantoniou again on Monday decried a “political conspiracy” against him and has dismissed as “a fabrication” claims that he laundered 2.8 million euros in Swiss francs, allegedly pocketed in exchange for securing a contract in 2003 to upgrade six Hellenic Navy frigates.

Kourakou was also remanded in custody in October 2018 and released in March of 2019.