This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/dec/19/greek-presidential-elections-new-bribery-allegations

The article has changed 2 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 0 Version 1
Greek presidential elections hit by new bribery allegations Greek presidential elections hit by new bribery allegations
(about 5 hours later)
Greece’s presidential election descended into accusations of skulduggery on Friday as an opposition MP lobbed claims of attempted bribery at the government. Greece’s presidential election descended into accusations of skulduggery on Fridayyesterday, when an opposition MP accused the government of attempted bribery.
With just four days to go before a second round of voting in the 300-seat chamber, Pavlos Haikalis, who represents the small, rightwing Independent Greeks party, said he had been approached by a middleman offering him a multimillion-euro inducement to support the ruling coalition’s candidate for the post. Just four days before a second round of voting in the 300-seat chamber, Pavlos Haikalis, who represents the small, rightwing Independent Greeks party, said he was approached by a middleman offering him a multimillion-euro inducement to support the ruling coalition’s candidate. “There was a preliminary discussion which started as a joke but then became very serious,” the MP told Mega TV, adding that the middleman offered to hand him €700,000, pay off his mortgage and provide advertising contracts.
“There was a preliminary discussion which started as a joke but then became very serious,” the MP told Mega TV, adding that the interlocutor had not only offered to hand him €700,000 but to pay off his mortgage and provide advertising contracts. Haikalis, an actor, reportedly used a watch equipped with camera and recorder to record the conversation. The audiovisual material was expected to be distributed to party leaders late on Friday with the accusation of dirty tricks inflaming already heightened political tensions.
A professional actor, Haikalis reportedly taped the conversation wearing a watch equipped with a camera and a recorder. The audiovisual material was expected to be distributed to party leaders late on Friday with the accusation of dirty tricks inflaming already heightened political tensions.
Panos Kammenos, who heads the populist party, held an emergency press conference to reveal what he described as “an appalling affair”.Panos Kammenos, who heads the populist party, held an emergency press conference to reveal what he described as “an appalling affair”.
The Greek chamber reconvenes next Tuesday for a second vote after earlier this week the government fell far short of amassing the necessary 200 ballots for its nominee, the former European commissioner, Stavros Dimas. The Greek chamber reconvenes next Tuesday for a second vote after the government fell far short of amassing the necessary 200 votes for its nominee, the former EU commissioner Stavros Dimas.
In the event of failure again, the election goes to a third round on 29 December. Should that fail, snap polls have to be called, a contest the radical-left main opposition Syriza party is slated to win. Kammenos, whose 12 MPs could help tip the balance in favour of the government, has said it prefers the twice bailed-out country to hold fresh elections than continue with EU-IMF dictated economic policies that have pauperised swaths of the population. In the event of failure again, the election goes to a third round on 29 December. Should that fail, snap polls have to be called, a contest the radical-left main opposition Syriza party is slated to win. Kammenos, whose 12 MPs could help tip the balance in favour of the government, has said he prefers the twice bailed-out country to hold fresh elections than continue with EU-IMF dictated economic policies that have pauperised swaths of the population.
It is the second such accusation from the Independent Greeks. A female MP claimed last month that she had been similarly approached with the intention of being bribed but failed to produce evidence of the allegation.It is the second such accusation from the Independent Greeks. A female MP claimed last month that she had been similarly approached with the intention of being bribed but failed to produce evidence of the allegation.
Hitting back, the government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi dismissed the claims as “badly acted theatre” and called for the party to produce audiovisual material to support them. A government spokeswoman, Sofia Voultepsi, dismissed the claims as “badly acted theatre” and called for the party to produce audiovisual proof.
“It is obvious why these ridiculous performances are set up: so that a president of the republic is not voted for, and the country is led to early elections,” she said in a statement. “For reasons of public interest, the evidence must be made public immediately. If there is no evidence, legal procedures must begin immediately against the perpetrators of this wretched affair.”“It is obvious why these ridiculous performances are set up: so that a president of the republic is not voted for, and the country is led to early elections,” she said in a statement. “For reasons of public interest, the evidence must be made public immediately. If there is no evidence, legal procedures must begin immediately against the perpetrators of this wretched affair.”