Former prosecutor accuses ex minister of pressuring officials

Former financial crimes prosecutor Panayiotis Athanasiou is said to have accused former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos of putting pressure on judicial officials to investigate or even prosecute individuals, mainly businessmen from the media sector, without any incriminating evidence, during his testimony before a parliamentary inquiry committee on Tuesday. 

According to information, the former prosecutor said that Papangelopoulos was not interested in investigating lists of possible tax evaders but wanted to go after media owners and even a journalist. 

“The shocking details point to the operation of a deep state inside justice that resembles shady regimes and not a European state with rule of law,” ruling New Democracy said in a statement.

For his part, Papangelopoulos accused Athanasiou in a statement of making up “obscene lies” and stated he will take legal action against him.