Athens Macedonian News Agency: News in English, 13-04-21

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From: The Athens News Agency at <http://www.ana.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Tsohatzopoulos trial begins Monday

[01] Tsohatzopoulos trial begins Monday

The former minister, who is in custody pending trial, on Friday sent letters to 10 former members of the Government Council for Foreign Affairs and Defence (KYSEA) of that period, asking them to appear in court and testify in his trial just hours before it begins. All were in office when the purchase of the German submarines and the Russian-designed anti-aircraft missile system TOR M1 was approved.

PASOK defence minister Akis Tsohatzopoulos and 18 other defendants accused of receiving kickbacks and of "political money laundering" from Greek state armament procurement.

A Council of Court of Appeals Judges has indicted Tsohatzopoulos, his wife Vicky Stamati, his daughter Areti Tsohatzopoulou, his former wife Gudrun, his close aide and former armaments secretary general Yannis Sbokos and 13 other individuals, on whom incriminating evidence of active participation in the scandal has arisen during the course of a lengthy judicial investigation, to stand trial.

Tsohatzopoulos, who is the main defendant in the case, is accused of money laundering via offshore companies that he owned, which he used for real estate transactions or other investment activities to legalize the money he received as kickbacks from military procurement deals signed when he was defence minister. In his actions he was assisted by businessmen, lawyers, his former and present wife and his daughter.

The trial will start a year after Tsohatzopoulos was arrested.

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