Ex-foreign minister says he spearheaded crackdown on racket issuing illegal visas to minors

Former foreign minister Nikos Kotzias has indicated that he had discovered evidence of a racket of some diplomats who had issued illegal visas to underage migrants.

Speaking at the ESIA journalists' union in Athens, Kotzias said he had sent his findings concerning 93 cases to a prosecutor and noted that “several diplomats went to prison for giving visas to unaccompanied children.”

The former foreign minister also alleged that the racket may have been involved in illegal organ sales, though he did not clarify further.

“I don't agree that we didn't do anything,” Kotzias said responding to accusations regarding his record as foreign minister before he resigned last month amid a rift in the coalition government over the name deal with the Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia.

“Just the fact that I saved a few souls will help me sleep easier,” he added.

The ruling SYRIZA official was at the helm of the Foreign Ministry from January 2015 until his resignation on October 17.