Pikrammenos describes accusations as ‘lies and unacceptable slander’
Panayiotis Pikrammenos, who served as Greek caretaker prime minister for one month in 2012, denied allegations Wednesday that he was involved in an alleged pharmaceutical bribery scandal.
Addressing lawmakers during a parliamentary debate on whether to launch an investigation into 10 senior politicians over the Novartis case, Pikrammenos said he had served as caretaker prime minister for 35 days at a time of political and economic turmoil in the country.
“And today, after six years, I find myself before you to face a baseless accusation,” he said, describing the accusations against him as “lies and unacceptable slander.”
Earlier, Bank of Greece governor Yannis Stournaras said secret witness testimonies implicating himself and his wife, who runs a communications and consultancy company specializing in the health sector, were lies, and called for the parliamentary investigative committee to be set up to look into all allegations.
Critics have accused the SYRIZA-led government of a witch hunt, noting that there is no concrete evidence connecting the two former premiers and eight former ministers to the scandal. [AP, Kathimerini]
