Siemens bribe clue surfaces
German electronics and engineering giant Siemens paid, via its subsidiary in Greece, more than 1.3 million euros to Greek politicians during the period of the general elections in 2004, according to documents submitted to a court in Munich. Kathimerini understands that the paperwork includes a handwritten note by Reinhard Siekaczek, a former Siemens executive, which indicates that the former managing director of Siemens Hellas, Michalis Christoforakos, had paid 2 percent of the company’s telecommunications revenue in Greece to politicians. The payment was allegedly made via a bank in Monaco. Greek prosecutor Panayiotis Athanassiou is expected to wrap up his questioning of bribery suspects by the end of next week. A number of former Siemens Hellas employees are among more than a dozen people who have been questioned as part of the Greek leg of the investigation. Sources said that Athanassiou is due to finish compiling his report in the middle of June.
