Statute Of Limitations Has Not Expired For Papakonstantinou - He Will Stand Trial

Greek judicial officials ruled at the weekend that the statute of limitations for the alleged offences has not expired for former PASOK finance minister George Papakonstantinou. The announcement was made following a meeting on Sunday when a five-member judicial council from the special court was summoned to look into the case.

The former confident of George Papandreou now faces charges of dereliction of duty, doctoring a document as well as breach of faith over allegedly removing the names of three of his relatives from the controversial Lagarde list. As some may recall the list apparently contains the names of over 2,000 Greeks with undeclared cash deposits in a Swiss branch of HSBC bank. Papakonstantinou is now expected to face an investigation for having tampered with a confidential tax list in late 2010.

The investigation will focus on Papakonstantinou's handing of the so-called Lagarde list. He has to answer to charges of dereliction of duty, doctoring a document as well as breach of faith.

Papakonstantinou had apparently received the list in late 2010 from French authorities on the understanding that the information would be used to fight tax evasion.