Just hours before today’s parliamentary debate on the abortive sale of munitions to Saudi Arabia, the Financial Times reports that the deal, “could destabilise the left-wing government of prime minister Alexis Tsipras.”
Defense Minister Panos Kammenos, “pushed through a 66 million euro order from Saudi Arabia of munitions supplied by a Greek-owned defence manufacturer, after allegedly agreeing the deal with a local businessman who claimed to be acting on the Gulf State’s behalf,” the report stated. “This is in violation of Greek anti-corruption rules.”
FT reports that both Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and his coalition partner, Panos Kammenos, agreed to the sale when it was approved in March by the Governmental Council of Foreign Affairs and Defense, which must approve arms purchases and sales. It says the deal was put on hold after questions [of improprieties] surfaced.
Source: Financial Times
