Verdict on ex-mayor of Thessaloniki due on July 14

Thessaloniki’s appeals court is expected to decide on July 14 whether to overturn the life sentence received by the city’s ex-mayor, Vassilis Papageorgopoulos, for embezzlement.

Wednesday was the 53rd day of the appeal hearing.

Papageorgopoulos denies that he was responsible for the embezzlement of 17.9 million euros from the municipality’s coffers.

Former municipal treasurer Panayiotis Saxonis and the former general secretary of the municipality, Michalis Lemousias, are also appealing the 15- and 10-year sentences they received respectively.

The three men were convicted in February 2013.

The prosecutor has recommended that Papageorgopoulos be convicted of being complicit in the embezzlement through negligence, which would reduce his sentence to between 10 and 20 years.