Judges to rule on parliament vote to indict ex-finance minister
A council of judges is to be set up in the coming days to determine whether or not former Finance Minster Giorgos Papaconstantinou should be indicted in accordance with a vote in Parliament early on Tuesday when a majority of MPs proposed that he face trial on three charges.
Of the 283 MPs who cast ballots, 206 voted for Papaconstantinou to be indicted for breach of faith and 166 for him to face trial for doctoring an official document – both crimes – while 220 voted in favor of his indictment for violation of duty, which is a misdemeanor. In a speech to Parliament, the ex-minister claimed he was being made a scapegoat for the errors of a series of governments.
The judicial council, which is to comprise five top judges picked by draw, is to be formed Wednesday or Thursday.
It is to decide whether there are adequate grounds for the charges against Papaconstantinou and whether any have expired under the statute of limitations.
