Prosecutor shelves probe into alleged plan to bribe MPs due to lack of evidence

A prosecutor investigating reports that entrepreneurs close to the government were gathering money to bribe MPs into backing the coalition’s candidate for crucial presidential elections early next year deemed on Friday that there was inadequate evidence to substantiate such claims and shelved the probe.

Deputy appeals court prosecutor Panos Panagiotopoulos launched the probe last month in response to a report in the Kontra News daily alleging the existence of a ring of entrepreneurs preparing to bribe MPs.

Apart from Kontra News editor Emilios Liatsos, those who testified in the probe included government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi, Democratic Left leader Fotis Kouvelis, SYRIZA spokesman Panos Skourletis, Independent Greeks leader Panos Kammenos and the businessman Andreas Martinos who rebuffed allegations that he and businessman Sokratis Kokkalis had discussed the creation of a fund to buy MPs’ votes at their children’s wedding as “flights of fantasy.”