Six Employees Suspended in Real Estate Office Bribery Scandal

Six employees from the Greek Real Estate Offices have been immediately suspended under Article 104 of the Public Servants Code. They are accused of participating in a criminal organization that prioritized document issuance and certification requests in exchange for monetary bribes. This decision followed an emergency meeting of the Administrative Council, held just 24 hours after the scandal emerged, which aimed to legally approve property transfer and transaction requests. The official responsible for real estate matters stated: “In the Greek Real Estate Registry, which safeguards citizens’ immovable property, corruption has no place. We have prioritized digital transactions to serve thousands of professionals and citizens efficiently through platforms like akinita.gov.gr and support.ktimatologio.gr. A modern service like the Real Estate Registry aims for swift transactions, facilitating property trade and contemporary housing policies without intermediaries.” Stelios Sakaretsios, President of the Greek Real Estate Registry, added: “Six individuals who failed their duty and oath cannot tarnish the 1,400 dedicated employees of the Greek Real Estate Registry. Recent developments justify our decision to eliminate Hypothecary Registers and replace live transactions with new, modern digital services. From 5% digital transactions in September 2023, we’ve reached 95%, thanks to tools countering bureaucracy—a potential breeding ground for corruption.” Olympia Markellou, General Director of the Greek Real Estate Registry, emphasized: “Citizens’ trust is the foundation of our operation. Despite this serious case, it does not negate the daily transparent, consistent, and professional work done by our entire team. We continuously enhance internal control mechanisms and enforce zero-tolerance policies against opacity. The registry moves decisively toward a digital, clean, and accessible future for everyone.” Investigations by Greece’s Internal Affairs Service also extend to real estate offices in Thessaloniki concerning ‘fast-track’ practices.