The prosecutor’s “microscope” includes the details of the company from whose coffers money went to the party in order to cover financial obligations to the employees.
As part of the investigation, which was ordered by the head of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office, Antonis Eleftherianos, and will be conducted by the prosecutor Dimitris Nomikos, possible violations of the law on related parties, which prohibits party leaders from owning companies abroad, will be investigated.
Stefanos Kasselakis responded to a publication of the website news247.gr with his post, which brought him as the owner and legal representative of the company Osios LLC, based in the USA at least until December 2023.
According to the publication, the fact arises from the loan agreement given at Christmas by a company of Mr. Kasselakis’ interests to the company Left Media AE, with the aim of paying the employees of the SYRIZA party media and giving them a Christmas present. The loan agreement on behalf of Osios LLC was signed by Mr. Kasselakis himself, who, as mentioned in the text, is also the sole partner of the company.
All of the above causes many legal and political questions, as a law brought by the Tsipras government in 2016 prohibits the participation of the president of SYRIZA in the management or capital of companies with real or statutory headquarters abroad. In fact, those who violate the law are punished with imprisonment of at least two years and a fine of between 10,000 euros and 500,000 euros.
In his post, Stefanos Kasselakis responded that he will consult his lawyers on whether there is anything incompatible with his political capacity and if the law concerns him, he will sell the companies he owns abroad.
He writes in detail: Everyone knows that I am a businessman with activity abroad, where I lived until recently, for a whole 21 years. I will immediately be informed by my lawyers if the law applies to parliamentary party leaders, who are not allowed to own foreign companies. As you know, I am not a Member of Parliament. As far as the law concerns me, I will sell the companies I have abroad. Only the people of SYRIZA I will never “sell”, at any personal financial cost. In any case, Maris will not buy SYRIZA cheaply, as he already tried. PS: I would never leave SYRIZA media workers unpaid. It’s a matter of principle.
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