Stavros Kontonis

The Greek justice minister has a conflicting stance when it comes to Rouvikonas. On the one hand he is trying to play nice with the anarchist group and its admirers, and on the other he is trying to placate the public, which is surprised and shocked by its antics.

Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis on Tuesday returned to judicial authorities a file on the alleged bribery scandal involving Swiss drug manufacturer Novartis, after a parliamentary committee completed a fruitless inquiry into the 10 politicians named in the case and concluded it is not competent to examine it.

The surprise resignation of Nikos Sakellariou as chair of the Council of State, Greece's highest administrative court, last week has rekindled the debate over political interference in the judicial system.

A prosecutor on Thursday shelved legal suits lodged against government officials and prosecutors by former prime minister Antonis Samaras, ex-finance minister Evangelos Venizelos and former health minister Dimitris Avramopoulos, now European migration commissioner, over bribery claims involving Swiss drugs firm Novartis.

Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis expressed his dismay at the continued detention of two Greek servicemen who were arrested in early March for straying into Turkish territory during a border patrol, citing the lawful response of Greek authorities to similar cases involving three Turkish nationals.

The case of the eight Turkish soldiers who are seeking political asylum in Greece is becoming an increasingly thorny issue for Athens as Ankara is insisting on their extradition and the maximum period for their detention is to expire next month.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan late Saturday called for peace with Greece, according to a report by the state-run Anadolu agency.

"We need peace now. Besides, our peace with you is like no other," Erdogan was quoted as saying on Turkey's NTV channel.

Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gul has written to his Greek counterpart Stavros Kontonis saying "Greece is becoming a gathering place for criminals" following a court ruling releasing one of eight Turkish servicemen seeking asylum in Greece, Anadolu reported on Saturday.

Turkish Justice Minister Abdulhamit Gül has sent a letter to his Greek counterpart Stavros Kontonis, saying that "Greece has become a gathering place for criminal."

A day after a special parliamentary committee deemed that it was not competent to investigate allegations that several top-ranking Greek politicians took bribes from a Swiss drugs firm, Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis appeared confident that the judicial probe into the affair is "moving in the right direction."