The PASOK party has sharply criticized Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis in response to serious allegations made by independent MP Mario Salmas in Parliament concerning the Novartis scandal. In a new statement, PASOK accused Georgiadis of dodging substantive questions and instead resorting to personal attacks and media diversions.
Allegations Focus on Passive Bribery and Judicial Interference
Salmas, speaking from the parliamentary podium, accused Georgiadis of passive bribery and involvement in attempts to influence judicial proceedings—including alleged interventions targeting a protected witness. He also claimed the minister had reportedly told the witness, ‘I’ll settle this for you.’ According to PASOK, Salmas backed his claims with documented evidence, including messages submitted to Parliament.
‘He Pretends Not to Understand’
PASOK spokesperson Charilaos Trikoupis emphasized that the accusations are exceptionally grave and demand clear, evidence-based responses—not evasions. ‘He pretends not to understand the allegation,’ she stated, adding that Georgiadis ‘threw the ball into the stands’ instead of addressing the substance of the claims.
The party stressed it is not rehashing the broader Novartis ‘frame-up’—a widely acknowledged episode—but specifically questioning Georgiadis’s own alleged conduct. ‘We are not debating the Novartis frame-up, which was absolutely real,’ the statement reads. ‘We are discussing his personal involvement in the alleged acts.’
Call for Immediate Accountability
PASOK insists Georgiadis must provide immediate, transparent, and substantiated answers. Until he does, the party argues, his continued presence in government is untenable. The statement concludes with a direct challenge to his credibility and fitness for office, citing ‘obvious contradictions’ in his public statements.