The parliamentary committee formed to conduct a preliminary criminal probe of politicians implicated in the Novartis scandal has opined that it is not competent to prosecute the accused on charges of bribery and money laundering.
The decision was taken by the MPs of the ruling Syriza-Independent Greeks coalition majority, as all opposition parties’ MPs had already walked out weeks ago.
The decision followed the related recommendations of Syriza rapporteur Nikos Paraskevopoulos, a former justice minister, and Independent Greeks MP Yorgos Lazaridis.
Committee chairman Thodoris Dritsas said that the panel recognises the authority of the regular justice system to try the case.
The rationale of the report drafted by majority of the committee will be reviewed by a plenary session of parliament, which will meet to approve the report on 24 April.
Opposition parties will be asked to submit their own reports, even though they boycotted the committee’s proceedings, by 10 am the same day.
“The path is opening for the complete investigation and the just treatment of everyone mentioned, so as to exhaust all means to acquit the innocent and return them unblemished to society, and for those who may be implicated to be tried, so that the political system can take an important step in regaining its lost credibility,” Dritsas said.
