Parliament to vote on committee’s Novartis report
The Greek Parliament will decide on Friday whether or not to request the prosecution of 10 prominent politicians named in a bribery scandal involving the Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis, in the final phase of a parliamentary inquiry into the case.
The investigation concerns allegations that Novartis bribed 10 prominent politicians, doctors and public officials to increase its access to the Greek market and sell its products at inflated prices.
The House is expected to vote separately on former premiers Antonis Samaras and Panayiotis Pikrammenos, former ministers Evangelos Venizelos, Adonis Georgiadis, Giorgos Koutroumanis, Andreas Loverdos, Andreas Lykourentzos, Marios Salmas and Yannis Stournaras – currently governor of the Bank of Greece, and European Migration Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos.
The debate started at 10 a.m. After it’s completion, during which opposition parties may decide not to participate in the vote, the House will hold a secret vote on the committee’s report and then for each alleged charge for which the parliament could seek prosecution.
In mid-April, a panel set up to look into the case concluded it was not competent to investigate the allegations and that the file should be returned to judicial authorities.
