Gavriil Mallis

An anti-corruption magistrate on Tuesday questioned a Swiss-French banker who is seen as a key figure in the Siemens cash-for-contracts scandal and corrupt arms deal but was able to glean little information.

A council of appeals court judges decided on Thursday that 32 people, including former politicians, businessmen, soldiers, bankers and arms traders, should stand trial in connection to bribes allegedly paid to secure the sale of four submarines from Germany to the Greek Navy.

It seem unlikely that the leader of the ultranationalist Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party, Giorgos Karatzaferis, will face bribery charges after it was revealed that two middlemen in an arms deal paid 1.6 million euros to his offshore company, sources have told Kathimerini.

An investigating magistrate is expected to summon two Greek businessman in the coming days who have been linked to kickbacks worth 5.5 million euros for the purchase of Super Puma helicopters, including 1.6 million euros that was found in an offshore account in the name of right-wing LAOS leader Giorgos Karatzaferis, according to prosecutors.

The former general secretary for procurements at the Defense Ministry, Spyros Travlos, was bailed on Tuesday after appearing before magistrates Gavriil Mallis and Yiannis Stavropoulos, who are investigating allegations that Greek officials took bribes in order to agree to certain armaments purchases.