Ethics committee calls for lifting of ex minister Polakis’ immunity

Parliament's ethics committee has recommended the lifting of former alternate health minister Pavlos Polakis' immunity from prosecution to pave the way for a judicial inquiry into accusations made by Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras that he recorded a private telephone conversation between the pair without his consent, as well as a charge of slander made by the head of the workers' union of Greece's Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO), Stamatis Poulis.

The 11-member committee's recommendation will be voted on in a plenary session of Parliament on July 30.

A total of eight deputies from ruling New Democracy, center-left Movement for Change (KINAL) and far-right Greek Solution voted in favor of lifting his immunity.

Deputies from the Communist Party (KKE) and MeRA25 voted against, while SYRIZA's Dimitris Tzanakopoulos had a verbal...