A three-justice court of felony appeals will hear a case involving the NGO “International Centre for Demining”, as charges were filed against eight defendents, including Alex Rondos, a former close aide to one-time PM George Papandreou.

Their trial was ordered by an Athens board of appeals.

The case concerns the Athens-based NGO’s finances in projects to clear landmines in Bosnia, Iraq and Lebanon. The organization is charged with illegally receiving more than nine million euros. According to the indictment, Rondos’ served as an active member of the foreign affairs ministry between July 2002 and January 2003, as the director of an international developmental aid departmetn, which funds NGOs, while also involved with the former NGO.

Other defendents include Konstantinos Jevelekos, Nikolaos Tsamados, Nikolaos Bazas, Evangelos Rigakos, Aphrodite Kostoyanni – Kokkori, Georgia Limberi and Maria-Anastasia Makrinioti.

According to the ordinance, the accused will be tried on the offense of repeated fraud and attempting to procure illegal pecuniary advantages by causing damage to the detriment of the Public. The accused, except for Mr. Jevelekos and Mrs. Makrinioti are facing charges of repeated false certifications, as well as infidelity towards their sworn service. Konstantinos Jevelekos will be tried for direct involvement on the abovementioned charges as well as illegal possession of a firearm and laundering money. Mrs. Makrinioti also faces charges of money laundering. Nikolaos Bazas is charged for repeated forgery.

According to the indictment, the funding of the NGO was done without the supervision and adherence of the law, related embassies’ signatures, composition of project planning and results. It was done without any substantial financial participation on the part of the NGO, which was also illegal, since it did not fall under the auspices of humanitarian aid, which would have -in turn- justified the funding of the project. The funds were allocated between 2000 and 2004 and were finally appropriated for other purposes.

It should be noted that a statute rejected the appeal for the release of K. Jevelekos. The warrant of provisional detention has been extended by six months. The restrictive conditions which were imposed on the rest of the accused are also still in effect.

The accused are exempted from singular, specific acts which took place between 2002 and 2004.