Novartis Trial – Lina Nikolopoulou: ‘Their Goal Was to Ethically and Socially Destroy Yiannis Stournaras’

The trial continued with the testimony of the spouse of the Governor of the Bank of Greece, Lina Nikolopoulou, regarding the two former protected witnesses in the Novartis case. Nikolopoulou stated her limited professional collaboration with Novartis, emphasizing that she only conducted two activities for them: a 2013 press training seminar via the National School of Public Health and an event for the Harvard Project at the invitation of the University of Athens. She highlighted that her company’s net earnings from these engagements were only €2,500. When questioned about her relationship with Konstantinos Frouzis, she clarified knowing him solely as the president of the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV). Furthermore, she presented a document from the Independent Authority for Public Revenue (AADE) showing no financial or tax discrepancies against her. Nikolopoulou accused certain parties of attempting to ethically and socially destroy her husband, Yiannis Stournaras, by targeting her instead, believing it would force him to resign from his position at the Bank of Greece. During cross-examination, when asked why she believed this was done, she suggested political motives linked to Stournaras’ stance against SYRIZA. The witness concluded that the falsehoods propagated had short legs, implying they lacked credibility.