Mitsotakis: Allegations over Novartis probe will be brought to Parliament

The allegations made by a deputy Supreme Court prosecutor who has implicated a government official of influencing an investigation into an alleged bribery scandal involving the Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis will be investigated by the next Parliament, main opposition leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Thursday.

Ioannis Angelis, who was initially in charge of the Novartis probe, spoke of a government official who is active in the judicial sector, whom he identified only as “Rasputin.”

He alleged that the probe into the potential implication of political officials into the Novartis affair has been marred by a series of irregularities, while making allegations of a campaign to victimize political rivals.

Angelis also called on Supreme Court Prosecutor Xeni Dimitriou, Justice Minister Michalis Kalogirou and the corruption prosecutors to testify in the case.

The New Democracy (ND) leader said Angelis is directly implicating two government ministers, adding that “it was clear” from the start that the government was influencing the direction of the investigation.

“Those accusations are very serious and obviously they must be investigated. To the degree that they concern ministers it is a given that this case will reach the next Parliament,” he told Greek TV channel Open.

“I am determined to restore institutional order in Justice…I believe there’s a big problem today.”

Asked to guess about the identity of “Rasputin,” he said it is clear who it might be. “I think everyone knows who Rasputin is. Let’s not kid ourselves. [PM Alexis] Tsipras knows him too, it’s his minister. There are two ministers in the Justice ministry. You can draw your own conclusions.”

Asked about the same mystery man in an interview on broadcaster Alpha on Wednesday night, Tsipras said he had no idea who it might be and called on the prosecutor to name him.