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December 16, 2014

Greece΄s upcoming big court cases now in the hands of justice

2015 is set to become a legal milestone as scores of cases that monopolised the news are one step away from the courtroom. Antonia Xynou at PressProject presents eight cases which are expected to be tried in 2015, including those concerning Golden dawn, the Siemens scandal, the Lagarde list and the scandals of the banking and energy sectors.

The trial of Golden Dawn
A political party or a criminal organisation? The trial is set to take place in 20015. The case file is in the possession of the Appeals Council, which will decide who of the 85 accused will testify before the three-member court of appeal for felonies. The appeals prosecutor, Isidoros Doyiakos, has requested that 70 of the 85 go on trial, which includes all of Golden Dawn’s MPs. The felonies they are being charged with include, running and participating in a criminal organisation, manslaughter, attempted murder, gun possession and others.
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking  HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE and HERE)

The Lagarde List
A judicial court has ruled that former Finance Minister George Papakonstantinou will stand trial for breach of trust and tampering with the so-called "Lagarde list" of about 2,000 Greeks with money concealed overseas. The list was given to the Greek  government by France in 2010. The trial is expected to take place in 2015. It also likely that the trial of the former head of the Financial Crimes Squad (SDOE), Yiannis Diotis will also take place for failing to investigate whether the 2,062 Greeks with accounts at a Geneva branch of HSBC were guilty of tax evasion. He has been charged with breach of trust and removing an official document. Both men have denied any wrongdoing and were released after answering a prosecutor’s questions.
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking HERE)

The Siemens scandal
The prosecutor who is handling the case is expected to decide whether to issue indictments against those accused, including government officials, for allegedly receiving bribes from the German electronics and engineering giant to secure lucrative deals with the country’s national telecoms company, OTE. However, because of the large case file, his decision may be delayed. Among those accused of bribing government officials are 70 OTE employees and their relatives, stockbrokers, party officials, bankers and senior ranking executives. Charges include: bribery and money laundering
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking HERE and HERE and HERE)

The Vatopedi Monastery trial
The trial date for Ephraim, the former abbot of the Vatopedi Monastery on Mount Athos, along with another 13 suspects over a controversial land swap between the Greek government and the monastery will depend on the supreme court. The trial is expected to take place in 2015
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking HERE)

Energa and Hellas Power
The trial starts on January 16. 19, out of the 25 people charged will stand trial for embezzlement, smuggling and money laundering. The two companies are accused of receiving the notorious surcharge tax on households on behalf of the state power corporation (DEH) but never handing it over to the Greek state.
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking HERE and HERE)

Proton Bank trial
The trial date is set for March 23, involving 34 accused for their part in the running of a criminal organization, money laundering, fraud and breach of faith in connection with a series of alleged embezzlements at the bank. Among those accused are high ranking executives of the defunct bank and of companies belonging to the Lavrentiadis group. The case has been dubbed as ‘one of the biggest banking scandals’ in the country’s post-dictatorship era costing the state around €900 million
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking HERE and HERE and HERE All three articles posted on these links will put the pieces of the puzzle together nicely for you.)

Post Bank and FB Bank
Two cases involving the granting of unsecured loans to various entrepreneurs.Τrials are expected to be held in 2015. The case of Post Bank involves €300 million and implicates Former Post Bank President and CEO Angelos Philippides, who is accused of approving huge unsecured loans for businesses and friends. Philippides was released on bail. Another former CEO, Kleon Papadopoulos, and the president of DEMCO and owner of Greek television station ALPHA, Dimitris Kontominas, are also accused. The case of First Business Bank (FB Bank) involves unsecured loans worth roughly €20 million. Greek shipping magnate Viktor Restis will stand trial along with two former associates. Restis was the major shareholder and had served as a non-executive chairman.
(Read the background on this story from HellasFrappe by clicking HERE)

(PressProject)