PM rejects PASOK\'s Siemens demands

Tag : continuously cast

Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis yesterday wrote back to PASOKleader George Papandreou and rebutted the latters suggestions thathe is not taking the fight against corruption seriously enough.
Papandreou recently took the unusual step of sending a letter toKaramanlis to demand the establishment of a parliamentaryinvestigative committee to probe the Siemens bribery scandal.
The PASOK leader asked Karamanlis to support his request forParliament to be reconvened from its summer recess and a fullplenary session held so that the wider issue of party funding andpolitical corruption could be debated openly.
However, in his letter yesterday, Karamanlis described Papandreouas haste personified and suggested that setting up aparliamentary committee before the courts finish their probe wouldonly facilitate a cover-up.
The attempt to continuously cast doubt on public institutions isnobodys right, said Karamanlis in his letter. Everybody mustrespect these institutions, even the leader of the main oppositionparty.
The prime minister reiterated his proposal for an all-partycommittee to be set up to look at ways of tightening the law onpolitical funding.
PASOK sources said that Karamanliss response completely dodged themain issue and was simply an effort to buy time.
Meanwhile, Siemens Greece issued a statement yesterday saying thatit is actively supporting all investigations into claims that itpaid bribes to secure contracts. The firm added that it hasintroduced a compliance program to ensure that its businesspractices conform to the law.