Four are charged in the submarine case

The case file for the 4 type-214 submarines, which the Greek state received via direct commission to the German HDV and Skaramagkas Shipyards, will be sent to parliament in order to search for possible criminal liabilities of three former heads of the Defense ministry in the period between 2002 and the summer of 2009.

The relevant prosecutors of the Economics Department and head Prosecutor of the First Instance Court, Eleni Raikou, are forwarding to Areios Pagos the section of the file of the submarine case regarding potential criminal involvement of former ministers, Yannos Papantoniou, Spilios Spiliotopoulos and Vangelis Meimarakis, who served at the Defene ministry from 2002 to 2009.

Before it reaches parliament, the case file must go through the Justice minister, Haris Kastanidis. However, this had not happened until Wednesday night.

The "immediate dispatch" to parliament of this part of the voluminous file, after the one concerning Akis Tsohatzopoulos’ term, is deemed necessary since new data reported to the Economics Department by the SDOE survey and the Defense ministry, signals the reasons why prosecutors can activate the law on ministerial responsibility.

According to reliable sources, the new material brought to the attention of the prosecuting officers, identifies data concerning the non-activation of clauses in initial contracts as to late deliveries and non-compliance with contractual obligations, wrong-doings in planned projects under contracts for compensation benefits, or non-execution of the relevant projects.

In the coming days, the prosecution will send out about ten summons for testimony without oath, to those involved in the first phase of the supply of weapons to the Navy (1998-2002). The new faces will join the list of the 37 that have already been summoned after being accused of committing crimes of dishonesty against the state, corruption and money laundering.