ND to propose investigative committee for Papangelopoulos over Novartis affair

Center-right New Democracy is to propose the creation of a special investigative committee to probe former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos in connection with possible interventions in the alleged bribery scandal involving Swiss drugs manufacturer Novartis, ND's party secretary Stavros Kalafatis said in a written statement on Wednesday. 

“A simple reading of the evidence in the case file points to clear signs of groundless interventions by Dimitris Papangelopoulos in the course of justice," Kalafatis wrote. In view of this, he said, ND's parliamentary group is proposing the creation of a special committee to probe his actions during his stint as alternate justice minister. He added that ND is not seeking a similar probe into former leftist prime minister Alexis Tsipras. 

Earlier in the day the Supreme Court prosecutor’s office proposed an investigation into the possible mishandling of the alleged Novartis bribery case by Papangelopoulos with the knowledge of Tsipras.