Ex-minister's comments fuel row over Novartis affair

Political tensions over the alleged scandal involving Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis peaked on Thursday when ruling SYRIZA accused opposition New Democracy and the centrist Movement for Change (KINAL) of seeking to cover up ostensible offenses by politicians aligned with them. 

The upheaval followed comments by former PASOK minister Evangelos Venizelos, one of 10 politicians originally implicated in a probe into Novartis in Greece.

The case against Venizelos has since been shelved, along with most of those named, with former health minister Andreas Loverdos the only one currently implicated. (Parliament is to vote next Friday on whether to lift his immunity.)

On Skai TV on Wednesday night, Venizelos suggested that the Novartis affair showed how SYRIZA ministers abuse their power.

He said the next Parliament after this year's elections would not...