Siemens probe proposal rejected
Parliament?s plenary session rejected on Thursday a proposal made by 108 MPs of ruling PASOK for the establishment of a committee to investigate whether two former ministers of the main conservative opposition New Democracy — Christos Markoyiannakis and Giorgos Alogoskoufis — should face criminal charges of breach of faith in connection with the Siemens cash-for-contracts scandal.
ND, the rightwing Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) and the center-right Democratic Alliance boycotted the vote.
The outcome of the vote is a major blow to PASOK after its representatives on the parliamentary committee which investigated allegations that Siemens Hellas bribed public officials and politicians to secure state contracts suggested there was enough evidence to indict Markoyiannakis and Alogoskoufis despite the doubts raised by opposition parties.
