The European Commissioner for Migration and former New Democracy health minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, has submitted a memorandum to the Greek Parliament regarding the Novartis scandal, in which he states that he took every possible step as health minister to protect public funds.
In his text, Avramopoulos cited the two main cases over which he is accused of corruption and kickbacks: the ordering of 16 million H1N1 virus vaccines, during the pandemic, and the establishment of molecular blood testing.
As for the vaccines, he says that the prosecutor’s office has already judged the case and that it has been filed in the archives because no incriminating evidence was found. Regarding the molecular testing, he said that he pushed for the formation of an inter-party parliamentary committee, with the participation of the state Court of Auditors, the State Legal Council, and representatives of the ministries of finance, development and health, as regards the financial aspect of the tender. Also, he said that “committees of indubitable prestige” undertook the academic task of deciding on specifications.
“We must discuss whether any potentially illegal act by this company [Novartis] in Greece started in 2006, when I was appointed health minister, and was suspended suddenly on 26 January, 2016. Since then, it disappeared forever.
The Greek European Commissioner said he submitted before the Supreme Court Deputy Appellate Prosecutor a petition that he implement the law, as he is the sole person competent to revoke the protected status of witnesses, so that they may be sued for their crime of slander.
