KKE walks out of Novartis case investigating committee
The Greek Communist Party (KKE) walked out of Parliament’s preliminary investigative committee probing the handling of the Novartis bribery case on Monday and allegations of political interference by the previous administration.
KKE’s decision to snub the proceedings came just hours before two Novartis whistleblowers are due to be questioned by the special parliamentary panel, on condition of anonymity, from Athens police headquarters, in a live video session.
“Both New Democracy and Movement for Change (KINAL), but also SYRIZA, are responsible for the fact that these witnesses will be questioned under conditions that prevent their proper examination, that is without their physical presence, with their features and identities hidden,” KKE said in a statement.
It went on to accuse the ruling conservatives and the KINAL and SYRIZA opposition of “obstructing an in-depth investigation of the case and masking the games that were played over the Novartis scandal.”
The two witnesses, identified only by their pseudonyms Maximos Sarafis and Ekaterini Kelesi, are due to testify at 4 and 8.30 p.m. respectively after bench warrants were issued against them last week.
