Prosecutors Order Probe Against Panos Kammenos For Tax Evasion

Supreme Court Vice President Nikos Pantelis on Friday ordered economic prosecutors, Grigoris Peponis and Spyros Mouzakitis to launch a preliminary criminal investigation into the ownership status of an 18-meter pleasure boat titled "Iliatoras of London" which apparently belongs to the family of Independent Greeks' leader Panos Kammenos. The order came following press reports that claimed that the vessel had "until recently belonged to offshore firms based in tax havens around the world."

According to the state news agency, the aim of the probe is to determine whether or not any of the parties involved -- namely the Independent Greeks' leader and his father Ilias Kammenos -- should face charges of tax evasion, sources said.

Commenting on the furor, Kammenos said he welcomed the judicial probe into his and his family assets "so the rumor mills can fall."