Prosecutor says former statistics chief should not face charges

A prosecutor has proposed that the former head of the Hellenic Statistical Authority (ELSTAT), Andreas Georgiou, should not stand trial for allegedly tampering with Greece’s 2009 deficit figure to justify an international bailout.

Prosecutor Ioannis Koutras said there was no evidence to suggest that the former IMF economist should face felony charges. The decision now lies with the Council of Appeals Court Judges. The prosecutor’s proposal came after the Supreme Court reopened in August the investigation into whether Georgiou had indeed altered public debt data.

Georgiou, who resigned as head of ELSTAT last year, claims he is being unfairly persecuted.

The issue had led to a spat with European Commission when then deputy justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos accused it of violating the Greek Constitution by calling on the Greek government to publicly deny the allegations that Georgiou had rigged data.