Siemens judge was ‘protected’
Yiannis Papanikolaou, the man charged with investigating the judge that handled the Siemens cash-for-contracts probe, has informed judicial authorities that he came up against a «multifaceted mechanism» seemingly out to protect the magistrate, Nikos Zagorianos, and that the case was marked by «corruption and lack of transparency.» Court Inspector Papanikolaou delivered his report ahead of Zagioranos’s appearance before a disciplinary committee, detailing the obstacles he faced in trying to find out more about the magistrate’s controversial handling of the probe. «The whole case has the distinct aroma of corruption, lack of transparency and incorrect application of the law at the expense of the state,» said Papanikolaou. Zagorianos faces accusations of breach of duty but yesterday told a disciplinary committee that he acted in accordance with the law and his conscience.
