Investigators into former minister Papantoniou case extend search to five countries
Greek prosecutors investigating former minister Yiannos Papantoniou for money laundering have extended their search to five countries, including France.
The prosecutors requested the permission of French authorities to investigate Papantoniou’s accounts in French banks and to question Michel Josserand, former president of Thales Engineering & Consulting, which won the contract for the upgrade of six Greek frigates in 2003.
Papantoniou, who also holds French citizenship, was defense minister from 2001 to 2004.
In testimonies to French authorities as early as 2005, Josserand has mentioned that his company used bribes to win contracts. He has also claimed that in Thales' bid for the security of the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens the company's representative in Greece had informed him that winning the bid would require "7%-10% for the minister of defense."
Papantoniou and his wife Stavroula Kourakou have been held in custody since testifying before prosecutors on October 23. He has denied all charges.
Besides France, investigators Ilianna Zamanika and Giorgos Evangelou have requested information from Belgium, Cyprus, the United States, and the Netherlands, where Thales has its headquarters.
Source:AMNA
