The chief prosecution for corruption in Athens ordered the search of the home of the governor of Bank of Greece, Yannis Stournaras, in a judicial case that involves his spouse, Stavroula Nikolopoulou. Investigators have reportedly seized documents and electronic files in connection with his spouse’s company, a consulting and advertising company. The offices of Nikolopoulou were also searched.
Sources of BfG told media that “there is nothing to be afraid of” and that investigators refused to show their ID cards.
Both searches are part of a probe conducted by the Financial Police in connection with the mismanagement of more than 1 million euro by the Greek Center for Disease Control and Prevention (KEELPNO). The money has been allegedly spent for advertising purposes and campaigns, like the creation of spots and other information material for the prevention of cancer and over-consumption of antibiotics, generic drugs or the flu, when the EU Disease Prevention Center had already made a spot available.
The campaigns were materialized during the years 2011-2013.
However, these campaigns were much beyond the role of KEELPNO that deals with contagious diseases.
Nikolopoulou’s company has won several of these projects – and some even when Stournaras was serving as Finance Minister (July 2012 – June 2014) but this aspect is not part of the investigation.
To make the long story short, it looks that the KEELPNO had authorized the production of spots foreign to its role and that it had also paid media to broadcast or publish these advertising spots, while due to its role it could have promoted spots serving the public interest free of charge.
As Stournaras’ spouse won also advertising projects of KEELPNO, she is also part of the investigation.
Kathimerini notes that “The investigation related to funds that KEELPNO allegedly received through a company owned by Nikolopoulou as well as complaints regarding the disappearance of documents tied to the case.”
All theses scandals would bring in Oscars for the next ten years if one would start writing the scripts for, send it to Mr Brown Entertainment.
What is meant by “the creation of spots’ and ‘spots available”?
Hahaha be same time the BOG governor rejected Attica Banks corrupt appointees! This was clearly staged.
And I didn’t realise Attica Bank was owned by a public pension fund! No wonder they are angry! It’s a joke, I consider Stournaras the smartest person in Greece right now.
Stournaras is a piece of **** who is concerned only with his own interests. Roumeliotis, on the other hand (one of the nominations) has a track record of honesty and a high level of competence. This is something the Troika is afraid of, especially as he showed his openness when he revealed what the IMF and Papandreou knew (from his time as Greece’s New York representative to the IMF). Stournaras, on the other hand, has never said or done anything to contradict powerful interests: he is a toady.