Ex-minister’s appeal against Siemens cash sentence to begin
An Athens appeals court is to begin hearing on Monday, an appeal by Former Transport Minister Tassos Mantelis against his sentence for failing to declare cash he received from German electronics and engineering giant Siemens.
The trial was due to begin earlier this month but was adjourned shortly after proceedings began.
Mantelis was handed a three-year suspended sentence in 2011 for submitting a false source-of-wealth declaration.
The ex-minister admitted receiving money from Siemens but said it was an election campaign contribution rather than a bribe.
Mantelis accepted the equivalent of about 200,000 euros from Siemens.
The court will issue its verdict after studying deputy Supreme Court prosecutor Vassilis Pliotas recommended assessment of the original decision.
The prosecutor said the ruling was well founded and did not breach Mantelis’s rights.
Mantelis is the only politician so far to be convicted in connection to payments made by Siemens to Greek decision-makers and public officials to secure state contracts.
