Panousis starts giving evidence about death threat claims
Former citizens’ protection minister Yiannis Panousis, who has accused SYRIZA members of making death threats against him, is to appear before a Supreme Court prosecutor for a second day on Friday to back up his accusations.
Panousis spent more than four hours on Thursday answering questions from Supreme Court deputy prosecutor Dimitris Dasoulas. His testimony is believed to have focused on attacks against him in the past, including a bomb being placed at his office in 2010.
“The prosecutor’s office is doing a very good job,” said Panousis as he left the building. “My faith in the Greek justice system has been strengthened even more.”
Panousis said he also wanted to take back an earlier claim that court officials were responsible for leaking the content of conversations that had been recorded by the National Intelligence Service (EYP). The exchanges allegedly include SYRIZA members speaking with jailed members of urban guerrilla groups and discussing Panousis.
The ex-minister claims that he was targeted by some members of the ruling party and terrorist groups because he was not willing to support lighter prison sentences.
Justice Minister Nikos Paraskevopoulos issued a new statement on Thursday denying that the government had ever been influenced by convicts in its policymaking. He said that his ministry is in regular contact with inmates but does not negotiate the details of legislation with them.
