Arms firm rep to face questions after ex-ministry official’s bribes admission
A representative for German companies Rheinmetall and Atlas Elektronik, who was named by ex-Defense Ministry official Antonis Kantas as one of the men who bribed him, is expected to be called to give evidence in the next few days.
Sources said anti-corruption magistrates Gavriil Mallis and Yiannis Stavropoulos may even call the suspect before year-end as Kantas provided substantial evidence linking him to the payment of bribes to seal defense contracts.
Kantas explained how under-the-table payments were made to secure the purchase of German-made Leopard tanks and Type 214 submarines. He also gave background to the deals to buy the German and Swedish-made ASRAD vehicle-mounted short-range air defense system, as well as the Russian-made Kornet missiles and launchers. He said he earned around 16 million dollars from these and other deals, which he deposited in foreign bank accounts.
