The prosecutor has ordered a review of SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis’ source of income declarations for possible violations of the law, it was announced on Tuesday.
The inspection order will seek to determine whether Kasselakis violated the asset declaration law, in particular the provisions prohibiting the leaders of Greek parliamentary parties from holding administrative positions or participating in the capital of companies located abroad.
Let us remind you that the platform for declaring the assets of politicians for 2023 is not yet open. Kasselakis appeared on the Greek political landscape in August 2023, moreover, he is not a member of parliament, but merely a party leader elected by the party members.
The move followed media reports of a €250,000 loan that Kasselakis provided to the party to pay the salaries of SYRIZA media staff. The funds were received from a company he owns in the United States. The loan was reportedly provided to pay Christmas bonuses and December salaries.
According to recent statements by the party’s recently fired finance director, the loan was not necessary as salaries had already been paid, so the loan was repaid on January 4, 2024.
Kasselakis commented that “They can send as many prosecutors as they want, his finances are clean, and he has been taxed to the last dollar in the US.”
Note that the first reports about the loan appeared in the media in December. It is perhaps just a coincidence that the order to probe Kasselakis was announced on the same day that another prosecutor announced that he would be investigating a possible violation of the Personal Data and Official Secrets Act after an unspecified number of emails from Greeks abroad were obtained by a lawmaker from “New Democracy” Anna Asimakopoulou.
Greece’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) has launched an investigation into allegations that ruling New Democracy MEP Anna Asimakopoulou violated data protection rules by sending emails to Greek voters living abroad, the Greek Data Protection Authority (DPA) announced on Monday 4 March. border, ahead of the European Parliament elections in June. Let us remind you that in accordance with the rules of postal voting, Greeks living abroad must register with the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
The issue erupted on Friday 1 March when Greeks living abroad complained about emails they had received from Asimakopoulou. Complaints flooded social media and the storm continued throughout the weekend. The DPA has received “a large number of complaints” regarding this issue, the agency said in a press release.
“In response to media inquiries about the alleged distribution by the deputy EU unsolicited electronic communications among Greek expatriates ahead of the European elections, the Office reports that following numerous relevant complaints, it immediately initiated a procedure to review the matter.”
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