Two ex-ministers sue witnesses in pharma bribe case
Two former Greek government ministers have filed criminal lawsuits against witnesses who allegedly implicated them and other former officials in a pharmaceuticals scandal.
Evangelos Venizelos, Greece’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister in 2013-2015, and Adonis Georgiadis, the country’s health minister in 2013-2014, filed the complaints Tuesday against the secret witnesses who testified they were involved in bribes allegedly paid by Swiss drugmaker Novartis to boost drug sales and prices in Greece.
Last week, former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras and current European Union Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos, who have been implicated as well, filed criminal lawsuits.
Greece’s left-led government has asked Parliament to investigate 10 former officials, including two former prime ministers, for involvement in the scandal. Lawmakers are set to vote Wednesday night on whether to launch the investigation. [AP]
