Galery

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The prosecutor proposed the Board of Appeal that the former Mayor of Thessaloniki Vassilis Papagergopoulos and the former Deputy Mayor on financial issues Michalis Zorpidis be arrested because of abuse scandals in large amounts. Papageorgopoulos tried to answer with a "distraction". Let us recall that in the bank accounts of the former mayor was found the amount of 1,000,040 euro of unknown origin.

During yesterday's press conference Papageorgopoulos tried to involve also the senior official from the Economic Crimes Control Office Christos Papahatzis. He was arrested on Tuesday in connection with the gang of extortioners – usurers in the "conspiracy", organized as he claims, with the aim of being defamed.

Thus the former mayor tried to undermine the reliability of data provided to the Inspector from the Ministry of Finance Athanasia Tsembera in the investigation that led to legal proceedings against him and the proposal for his detention.

Papageorgopoulos pointed out that "these data were provided by Christos Papahatzis, head of a Directorate in the Economic Crimes Control Office, who was arrested a few days ago for being a member of a criminal group", referring to the relevant information in the report of the Inspector Tsembera.

The former mayor, however, made "a step back" when asked if the name of Christos Papahatzis is indicated in the report, given that he had held this post since the summer of 2011 when the report was almost completed. "No, the report indicates only the position", he admitted.

Transfer payments

Papageorgopoulos pointed out 12 cases of transfer payments from one of his accounts to another or deposits of amounts with other transparent and legitimate reasons, and said that they cover or even exceed the amount of 1 million euro, which according to the report can not be justified by his income. He also said that the prosecutor who suggested his arrest, did not have these data, but only had some "manipulated" information, spreaded by those who want to make him vulnerable. He expressed his confidence that within the next three months "the mud will be sent back to those who are throwing it now."

In addition to the retaining of the former mayor Papageorgopoulos and the former deputy mayor and current President of the Professional Chamber of Thessaloniki Michalis Zorpidis, the prosecutor requested the imposition of restrictive measures against the former deputy mayors Anastasios Geroyanis and Theodoros Atanasaros, and all other defendants for the abuse scandal.

In a statement he made Michalis Zorpidis indicated that the source of his income is his job.