Scandal Koskota

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The scandal Koskota was a major political and financial scandal that dominated the Greek political scene in late 1980 and the beginning of the decade to 1990.

Alongside marked especially the struggle for control of media and the intertwining of state and private interests. Central figure of the scandal was the banker George Koskotas, but caught up and top government officials of the then government of PASOK.

Indicted Andreas Papandreou, former Prime Minister Panagiotis Roumeliotis, former Minister of Finance, the Menios Koutsogiorgas, former Justice Minister, Dimitris Tsovolas, former Minister of Finance and George Petsas, former Deputy Minister for Industry, Research and Technology. Of these, Andreas Papandreou was innocent, Panagiotis Roumeliotis not tried because he had been elected MEP and European Parliament lifted the immunity does not, while the Menios Koutsogiorgas died from stroke during the trial. Dimitris Tsovolas and George Petsas found guilty of breaking the law on liability of ministers. The prison was 2.5 years (redeemable) for the first 10 months suspended for the second, to remove civil rights and two, three and two years respectively.

Table of Contents

1. Facts ◦ 1.1 Business activities and interweaving
   1.2 The first reactions
   1.3 Prosecutor's investigation and "Koutsonomos"
   1.4 The conclusion of the investigation
2. cohabitation and "cleansing"
3. Scandal Koskota and November 17
4. Referral to the Special Court
5. The trial
   5.1 The trial verdict
   5.2 The concept of acquittal Andreas Papandreou
   5.2.1 The rationale of those who voted for acquittal
   5.2.2 The rationale of those who voted guilty
6. statements after the trial
7. Sources

 
Facts
Business and interweaving
The origins of the scandal was the business of George Koskota. The years 1983 and 1984, Koskotas bought the journalistic and editorial agency "Line SA" (which was founded in 1982 by Paul Bakoyannis) and 56% of the share capital of Crete (later came to occupy 82 %), compared to the amount of 1 billion drachmas. Together with other companies which had incorporated in the main, was an employer to about 4,000 employees. In 1986 he was tried and buying Bank of Central Greece, but the reactions from the press, the government eventually allowed the sale. In 1987 he went to the market by the shipowner Stavros Ntaifa of Liverpool FC.

The then government of PASOK did not take long to strengthen its relations with ragdiaia rising entrepreneur. Deposits at the Bank of Crete has been a surge in money utilities (totaling 13 billion in 1988), while many senior officials of the Greek government were official partners. Meanwhile, favorable arrangements secured for his clients, surge deposits at the Bank of Crete to 76.5 billion drachmas.

On the editorial side of the "Line SA", the Koskotas had built a giant typoekdotiko, who edited a daily newspaper ("24 Hours") and 6 magazines, and bought three other newspapers, "Evening," "the Seventh "and historic" Everyday "by Helen Vlachos, which turned to political PASOK. At the same time has expressed interested in buying "Eleftherotypia". This extension at the press, and was the focal point of the uncontrolled path. The government saw in him a powerful editor that will provide support in exchange for political support for its activities.

The first reactions
The editors of the other major Greek newspapers niothontas huge threat from George Koskota, rose up against him and began to denounce that the money was spent lavishly product of suspicious transactions. In October 1987 began to come to light revelations about his past Koskota (forgery, tax offenses, illegal export of currency, etc.) On complaint, denying the government to initiate a tax audit.

Prosecutor's investigation and "Koutsonomos"
Under the weight of ongoing revelations in July 1988 the prosecutor Dimitris Tsevas Appeals ordered a review of the Bank of Crete. While ordering placing temporary guardian and lifting bank secrecy in order to conduct the investigation, the then Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Justice Menios Koutsogiorgas brought amendment in the House, which left the preferential margins under consideration businessman George Koskota. It was called the "Koutsonomo" (Law 1806/1988), for which documented as revealed later in exchange for this law was to deposit $ 2 million in the name of Menios Koutsogiorgas a Swiss bank.

This marked the political end of the powerful Minister of PASOK. The reactions at the expense was so strong across the political spectrum, nor authorized by the party to descend as a candidate in the upcoming elections of 1989, while there were increasing voices who demanded and deletion from the PASOK.

The conclusion of the investigation
The findings of Commissioner Spiro Papadatos was kolafos for Koskota. Revealed that Koskotas (now acquired the nickname "Megaloapateonas") had a total diversion from the Bank of Crete in the amount of 33.5 billion drachmas. The misappropriation of deposits had started the season yet that was an official at the Bank. With this money he bought all companies and bribe public figures.

Then sold the Bank of Crete in the group Arfani - snow, "Line SA" in John Alafouzos and Liverpool FC in Argyris Saliareli. The latter helped him escape from Greece, initially in Brazil and then in the U.S., where he was arrested and detained in prisons in Salem. Done in Greece two years later. He was released on March 16, 2001, having served the 3 / 5 of his sentence.

Cohabitation and "cleansing"
After the elections of June 1989, New Democracy and the Single Coalition (who attended the KKE) involved in deciding the formation of short-lived government, the main purpose of "cleansing" of the political scandal (the scandal Koskota was only one of the scandals for which the accused PASOK). The decision of both parties to engage criminalization of political life characterized by many (mainly coming from within PASOK) as "dirty '89 '. This has brought a great upsurge in the political reality of the time. It is significant that the founder of New Democracy Constantinos Karamanlis was quoted as saying that "the prime ministers do not go to jail, they go home." The main interest of the public, however, focused on the fate of politicians was involved in the scandal and not the fate of the person who bore the name of George Koskota.

Scandal Koskota and November 17
The increasingly unhealthy climate as a result of the scandal culminated dramatically with the murder by the Society November 17 of Pavlos Bakoyannis, New Democracy MP and brother-President Constantine Mitsotakis (26 September 1989) and the attempted murder of the accused MP and minister PASOK, George Petsas (8 May 1989). Notices (with the title "began clearance" and "hit Poulimenou thieves and politicians', respectively), the organization named the victims as accomplices of the scandal. Earlier (11 November 1988) a notice (with the title "chicken thieves, and megaloapateones tartoufoi") accused politikoikonomiko entire system of Greece is responsible breeding Koskota type scandals.

Reference to the Special Court
On 18 July 1989 (one week after the Swearing government Tzannetakis), parliament decided to establish special preliminary committee to determine the guilt or otherwise of Andreas Papandreou, Menios Koutsogiorgas, Dimitris Tsovolas, George and Panayiotis Roumeliotis Petsas. Based on the findings of this committee on 27 September 1989 (one day after the murder of Pavlos Bakoyannis) The House decided by secret ballot after the referral and 5 politicians in the Special Court.

Specifically out of 295 deputies present (absent in terms of the New Republic George Souflias Andreoulakos Apostle and of course killed the previous day Pavlos Bakoyannis not yet compensated by head office, in terms of PASOK President Andreas Papandreou and the independent Muslim Ahmed Sadik), the vote showed the following results:

• Andreas Papandreou (Former Prime Minister):
  • for inciting infidelity to repeat a grade felony: 166 for reference
  • For passive bribery in degree felony: 165 for reference
  • For receiving stolen goods from selfishness to a degree felony: 165 for reference
  • Menios Koutsogiorgas (former Minister of Justice):
  • For violation of the law on ministerial responsibility, 238 for reference
  • For harboring a criminal degree felony: 235 for reference
  • For passive bribery in degree felony: 247 for reference
  • For receiving stolen goods from selfishness to a degree felony: 240 for reference
• Dimitris Tsovolas (former Minister of Finance): ◦ For Infidelity on the service: 168 for reference
  • For violation of the law on ministerial responsibility: 168 for reference
  • George Petsas (former Deputy Minister for Industry, Research and Technology):
  • For violation of the law on ministerial responsibility: 219 for reference
  • For instigation of infidelity repeated to a degree felony: 204 for reference
  • For passive bribery in degree felony: 222 for reference
  • Panagiotis Roumeliotis (former Minister of Finance):
  • For violation of the law on ministerial responsibility: 170 for reference

The results of the secret ballot and based on the distribution of parliamentary strength of parties, shows the following conclusions:

For Andreas Papandreou and Dimitris Tsovolas leaks were clear in terms of the New Republic and Unified Coalition, as some members of both parties were not convinced of any guilt and voted for or against the reference, or white.
By contrast, for Menios Koutsogiorgas and George Petsas, about half of the Members of PASOK voted in favor of referral. Especially for Menios Koutsogiorgas and category of passive corruption (bribery), almost 2 / 3 of the PASOK parliamentary group persuaded his guilt and voted for referral.

The trial
The trial for Scandal Koskota (which is called the "Trial of the Century") commenced on March 11, 1991, and that day was held for the first time the Special Court under the chairmanship of the President of the Supreme Court, Vassilis Kokkinos and other 12 regular judges ( Areopagiton presidents and Appeals). As prosecutors appointed three lawyers Members (Nikos Katsaros and Kostas Konstantinidis terms of the New Republic and Nikos Konstantopoulos terms Coalition). Held 142 meetings and submitted a total of 109 witnesses. This was the first and only trial so far in Greece which aired on live television and found a long time in the center of political news.

Of the 5 parapemfthentes for the trial, it was tried eventually Panagiotis Roumeliotis, who had been elected MEP in the European elections of 1989, thus encompasses the evrovouleftiki immunity, which is not lifted by the European Parliament. One month after the start of the trial (11 April 1991) the process was marked by the stroke suffered by Menios Koutsogiorgas once had the floor in the hall, who expired in the hospital one week later. Since Andreas Papandreou has never appeared in court, the trial continued to present only two of the five original parapemfthentes (Dimitri and George Tsovolas skin). Indeed, between the first and the President of the Special Court, disputes and recriminations were frequent and intense.

During the trial, and especially after the death of Menios Koutsogiorgas, the deposit which would be extremely critical to the outcome of the data proved generally insufficient to support the indictment. Several witnesses were unreliable, while others merely political and not criminal responsibility of defendants.

The verdict
Ten months after the start of the trial, the early morning hours of January 17, 1992, the Special Court after the conference about 15 hours makes the decision on the scandal Koskota. The decision for the three remaining defendants:

Andreas Papandreou (Former Prime Minister):
For instigation of infidelity repeated to a degree felony (for deposits of public enterprises in the Bank of Crete and the settlement of debts of businessman Socrates Kalkanis): Not guilty by a vote of 7-6
For passive bribery in degree felony: Not guilty by a vote of 10-3
For receiving stolen goods from selfishness to a degree felony: Not guilty by a vote of 8-5
Dimitris Tsovolas (former Minister of Finance):
Of infidelity on the service and breaking the law on liability ministers (to adjust the debts of George Koskota and Socrates Kalkanis): Guilty. Penalty: Imprisonment 2 1 / 2 years (redeemable for 1,000 drachmas a day) and three years deprivation of political rights.
Petsas George (former Deputy Minister for Industry, Research and Technology):
For violation of the law on liability ministers (for unauthorized permit for the construction of buildings "Line Inc." George Koskota Pallini): Guilty. Penalty: Imprisonment 10 months with two years suspended and two years deprivation of political rights.
For instigation of infidelity repeated to a degree felony (for Post Office deposits at the Bank of Crete): Innocent
For passive bribery in degree felony: Innocent of the doubt
Dimitris Tsovolas bought his sentence (filed through his lawyer the amount of 1,524,450 drachmas), while the deprivation of his civil rights have been revoked for Members of the office. And 19 runners-up of the ballot refused to replace him (Case PASOK), resulting in repetitive place vote in the constituency of B 'Athens (5 April 1992) and the seat won by George - Alexander Magkakis.

The rationale of acquittal Andreas Papandreou
For the category of inciting infidelity to repeat a degree felony, Andreas Papandreou was acquitted by a narrow majority of 7-6 votes. Briefly, the rationale of the decision of the Special Court for that matter, is summarized as follows:

The rationale of those who voted for acquittal
The court was not convinced that the accused was provoked in any way the decision of the Governors of the utilities to commit these acts are assigned, nor Tabriz in any way to these operations. Moreover, publishers have submitted vaguely that Andreas Papandreou held and criminal responsibilities, answer questions presented to them that they have no concrete evidence to suggest that these accused had given orders to commanders of public companies to deposit the funds available to them Bank of Crete. Apart from these, by any evidence not disclosed that former Prime Minister was aware of the abuses that committing George Koskotas during the critical period from 19 January 1988 to October 19, 1988, when ypexairouse deposits at the Bank of Crete

The rationale of those who voted guilty
The first defendants as Prime Minister of Greece and of 11 June 1987 to October 19, 1988 critical period, had an implicit obligation and foremost duty by the Constitution and the law to guide government actions to coordinate government policy in all areas and supervise the implementation of laws in the interest of the state and its citizens. He even had the opportunity as a civilian head of EYP to know immediately who and the action of George Koskota. Why can not conceivable a prime minister's first intelligence not want to know who is George Koskotas, when the press and all the Greeks dierotonto how one so young was able to buy a bank and is constantly creating new businesses, but also sent to a government paper in the U.S. to meet with the President and other U.S. officials.

George Koskotas but nevertheless, enjoyed the full support and coverage of political power. He can prosfonei and prosfoneitai the prime minister with declarative sentences intimacy, was able to see the Prime Minister in private at home at a time when Greek society had begun to persuaded to action. And yet, to have protection, as shown by the fact that the Prime Minister's secretary intervened in his favor at the behest of Andreas Papandreou and ordered the Secretary of State George Petsi accept the Koskota and to serve

Statements after the trial
Following the decision of the Special Tribunal, made succinctly by the following statements:

Konstantinos Mitsotakis (Prime Minister): "No comment has been made by the government for trial. The court ruled, the matter ended. "
Andreas Papandreou (acquitted former Prime Minister and leader of the Opposition): "Their goal was my political and moral annihilation, dissolution of PASOK and the fragmentation of the great democratic party. They failed miserably with the ten-month public process. The truth avenged their conspiracy. "
Maria Damanaki (President of the Coalition, by whom he had already left the Communist Party): "The Coalition would like a different decision. We'd be happier if there was a further decision in relation to the case of Dimitri Tsovolas. "
Dimitris Tsovolas (convicted former Minister of Finance): "I put the prosecution and the principles myself available to perform this erratic and offensive to the parliament and democratic institutions of the majority decision of the Special Court."