Prosecutor identifies 37 suspects over submarines deal
A total of 37 people, including high-ranking members of the armed forces and businessmen, have been called by a prosecutor to answer questions about allegations of bribery linked to the purchase of four submarines by the Greek navy.
Greece ordered the Type 214 diesel-electric submarines, manufactured by ThyssenKrupp in Germany, between 2001 and 2005 but the deal, worth 1.26 billion euros, was plagued by complications after Greece rejected the first submarine due to technical problems.
The prosecutor has called the 37 to testify as suspects after an investigation by the financial crimes squad (SDOE) uncovered evidence of under-the-table payments.
Sources said that the same information would be sent to Parliament, which will decide whether any politicians should be probed, as SDOE?s report indicates that the defense ministers who served between 1999 and 2009 could be culpable.
