Lawmakers expected to back Novartis inquiry committee

Greek Parliament is reportedly expected to propose the formation of a House committee to investigate the handling by former Justice Minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos of the alleged bribery scandal involving prominent politicians and the Novartis pharmaceutical company.

The committee will investigate accusations that officials of the previous government, including Papangelopoulos, intervened in the judicial inquiry into the alleged bribery scandal in order to incriminate their political rivals.

“Our stance on the issue is institutional, democratic and responsible,” said sources from ruling New Democracy.

The case file was sent by the Supreme Court’s prosecutor’s office to Parliament on Monday and will be opened on Wednesday.

At the same time, it also emerged on Tuesday that there will be no probe into the role of former prime minister Alexis Tsipras, who has been accused of being in cahoots with Papangelopoulos. ND sources said that the verdict on Tsipras was given by the people in the national election which swept his SYRIZA party from power in the summer.

“Tsipras undoubtedly has political responsibilities but these are adjudged at the polls,” the same source said.

Commenting to associates on the matter, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “I do not send my political opponents to court. Prime ministers are judged at the ballot box, by people's consciences and in the pages of history.”