Institutional barriers protect the 1million-euro MP

The disclosure of the name of the MP seems to stumble upon institutional barriers, in the case of said MP moving 1 million euros abroad, since both the authorities and the Justice Department are sending the ball to the court of the appropriate authority, in order for them to determine the name of the “millionaire father of the nation”.

Furthermore, the case with the transfer made by the MP resulted from a complaint submitted by the Chairman of the Authority for combating the case, Panagiotis Nikoloudis.

In an investigation he conducted, Mr. Nikoloudis officially acknowledged the case but found no illegality. This seems to be forcing him to refrain from announcing the MP’s name.

The same information indicates that Justice Minister Miltiadis Papaioannou and Mr. Nikoloudis spoke and found that the only one who can advance the process and publish the MP’s name is the chairman of the audit committee Evangelos Argyris, explaining that he must send a request to the Bank of Greece that all banking transactions of Members and their close relatives in 2011 be dispatched to him.

Instead of delivering all information at their disposal to Mr. Argyris, even informally,  they are referring him to a process that will take several weeks and that’s why the committee should send a request to the BoG, which will in turn require all bank accounts and movements of all Members and related persons be collected and given to Mr. Argiris, and he would in turn identify the MP who transferred 1 million euros abroad in May 2011.

However, at the same time most MPs are on the edge of their seats since the heavy shadow looming over parliament is causing intense discomfort to those MPs who have nothing to do with such acts.

Evangelos Argyris sent a letter to Mr. Nikoloudis, in which the latter is being asked to provide all the information on bank movements of the millionaire MP, while he also expressed his dislike of the fact that he had not been informed.

Furthermore, six PASOK MPs took it upon themselves to visit the office of House President Philipos Petsalnikos, who was absent at the time, and thus they were taken to the vice president Grigoris Niotis’ office.

They also reserved the right to make a written protest if their request was not satisfied.

However, all or most MPs are angry with their “unknown” colleague, explaining that while “the government was trying to convince people that the Greek banking system is not at any risk and that Greeks should keep their deposits in the country, their ‘colleague’ chose to transfer his property to a tax haven”.

Some are even waiting to find out the name of the MP and see if it is one of those who voted for the new measures.

The move by the President of the Authority for combatting “illegal money”’ caused an intervention by Minister of Justice Miltiadis Papaioannou.

Mr. Papaioannou, speaking in the House, stated that he will personally prepare the case and explained how to directly communicate and work with Mr. Nikoloudis to learn the name of the “Millionaire” MP.

In addition, he noted that “the MP must come out and tell the truth. If he does not, then we will do it instead”.

Deputy Minister of Health Markos Bolaris said:  “Mr. Nikoloudis stated the he has already broken the confidentiality with what he said in the House and that he must move to the publication of the name. Even now he must be called by the committee of institutional transparency and asked the name. Give the name confidentially and then we will take the responsibility for its publication”.

Additionally, the PASOK parliamentary spokesman said that “it is not acceptable that we do not know the MP’s name, since everyone should assume their own responsibility. We are not all alike. This behavior is reminiscent of a rat who abandons ship and the other 299 MPs should not bear responsibilities which are not theirs”.

Spilios Livanos: “It’s not me”,

The rumors that ND former MP Spilios Livanos is the man in question are categorically denied by Mr. Livanos.

Mr. Livanos states: “Following the recent reports in the press on the disclosure of the President of the Authority for Combating Money Laundering and the Financing of Terrorism and Control of Statement of Property, deputy prosecutor of the Supreme Court Mr. P. Nikoloudis and before the Committee on Institutions and Transparency, about the MP that moved 1,000,000 euros abroad in May of 2011; I expressly and unequivocally declare that I am not that person, and any such reporting is not only false but also defamatory. For this reason I sent a letter to the Chairman of the Committee, of whom I ask to confirm the above”.