Novartis

Opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras has sent a new letter of complaint to Parliamentary spokesman Konstantinos Tasoulas over the special committee investigating the handling of the Novartis bribery probe, sources said on Monday.

Political tensions intensified on Friday after Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas rejected a complaint by SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras over the exemption of leftist MPs Pavlos Polakis and Dimitris Tzanakopoulos from a House committee probing alleged meddling by former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos in the Novartis investigation.

Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas announced on Friday that a House committee probing alleged meddling by former alternate justice minister Dimitris Papangelopoulos in the Novartis investigation will not meet next Tuesday, as it was planned, to allow time for main opposition leader Alexis Tsipras to select the replacements for the two party MPs who were ejected this week.

Political confrontation, especially when it is taking place in Parliament, is not hand-to-hand combat.

The "I'm not going anywhere" we heard on Wednesday in reaction to the ejection of two lawmakers from the special parliamentary committee investigating the handling of the Novartis case cannot be allowed to express a party that claims to be democratic.

Political tensions over the Novartis investigation simmered on Wednesday after former premier and SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras wrote to Parliament Speaker Konstantinos Tasoulas to complain about the exemption of leftist MPs Pavlos Polakis and Dimitris Tzanakopoulos from a House committee probing alleged meddling in the investigation.

In a letter to Parliament Speaker Constantinos Tasoulas, former prime minister and SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras complained about the exemption of leftist MPs Pavlos Polakis and Dimitris Tzanakopoulos from a parliamentary committee probing alleged meddling in the Novartis investigation.

A special parliamentary committee inquiring into the merit of claims of political interference in the Novartis bribery case removed on Tuesday two lawmakers of the main opposition, due to their status as potential witnesses in the case.
Dimitris Tzanakopoulos and Pavlos Polakis from SYRIZA will have to be replaced by two other party MPs.

The Greek prosecutors leading the investigation into the handling of the Novartis probe have written to authorities in the US, where the activities of the Swiss pharmaceutical firm have also been examined, with questions about the protected witnesses whose testimony led to accusations against Greek politicians, Kathimerini understands.

Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras on Thursday dismissed as "laughable" allegations by three prosecutors who are under investigation for their handling of the Novartis investigation that he threatened a former protected witness in the probe.

A special parliamentary committee that will be inquiring into the merit of claims of political interference in the Novartis bribery case is set to start choosing witnesses on Tuesday afternoon.