The opposition parties are not allowed to claim that the party’s members of the Greek parliament are not allowed to hold political parties in the country. The president of SYRIZA, for his part, claims that all his income is taxed and is attacking the Greek judiciary.
For its part, the ruling party, referring to whether or not Mr. Kasselakis can participate in a company abroad, stresses that “there is no disagreement, the law is clear and there is an obligation for anyone who is the leader of a parliamentary group represented in a national or European parliament not to participate in a foreign company and even with a law of SYRIZA in 2016.”
Kasselakis’ attack on Justice
Specifically, in a video post on Twitter, Kasselakis says, among other things, “Send as many prosecutors as you want. Unlike the giant fortunes of those who rule us, my income in the US is all taxed. Down to the last dollar – down to the last euro.”
At the same time, he says Greece is the land of impunity and promises that all that will change “by all of us who have clean hands, with the power of all of you who have a clean front.”
The head of the Athens Prosecutor’s Office, Antonis Eleftherianos, following the release of documents relating to the existence of a company in the US by SYRIZA’s president, ordered a criminal investigation to determine whether there are any possible violations of the law on the protection of assets, provisions of which prohibit party leaders from owning a company abroad.
The disclosure of the documents was made public in the context of the controversy that has been sparked after the dismissal of SYRIZA’s finance director and, as has been made public so far, the party borrowed from this company in order to meet the financial needs of its employees.
The entire post of Stefanos Kasselakis:
“Greek Justice has the fastest reflexes in the world:
When it undertakes to defend the Mitsotakis government against the European parliament that cries for the destruction of the rule of law in Greece.
When it takes it upon itself to send home, instead of prison, rapist friends of the prime minister and lawbreaking members of the New Democracy party.
When it takes it upon itself to target me for the loan I gave to my party so that workers would not go unpaid over the holidays. From my accrued wages in the US, not from bags from businessmen.
The Greek justice system has the slowest reflexes in the world:
When it has to investigate the crime, the bungling and the cover-up in Tempe.
When it has to investigate the Predator and the illegal surveillance of Maximos.
When it ought to try the cases of every ordinary citizen seeking justice without means and “backs”.
As far as I am concerned:
Send all the prosecutors you want. Unlike the giant fortunes of those who rule us, my income in the US is all taxed. Down to the last dollar – down to the last euro.
As far as the land of impunity is concerned:
Everything will change.
By all of us who have clean hands, by the power of all of you who have a clean front.”
ND’s response to the prosecutor’s investigation of off shore Kasselakis
New Democracy sources say there is no disagreement on whether or not to participate in an overseas company “which, moreover, SYRIZA indirectly admits when they say it will transfer its shares.”
“I wonder if he is not occupied by the provision and there is no disagreement why he will transfer them Therefore, Mr. Kasselakis confesses once again that he still owns shares of foreign companies, so all this time he violates the relevant legislation,” say the same sources.
Here is the relevant provision
What the law provides for the incompatibilities of politicians in relation to their participation in companies:
According to Article 8 of Law 3213/2003 and under the title: “Prohibition of participation in a company incorporated abroad for political persons, prohibitions on participation in companies incorporated in non-cooperative tax states and states with a preferential tax regime”, it is stipulated that:
1. The Prime Minister, the leaders of political parties represented in the National or European Parliament, as well as those who receive state funding, Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Deputy Ministers, Members of Parliament and MEPs and those who manage the finances of political parties as mentioned above, General and Special Secretaries of Parliament and the General Government, regional governors and mayors are prohibited from participating in the management or capital
…
3. In violation of paragraph 1, direct or by proxy participation in a company, which has its registered office abroad shall be punishable by imprisonment of at least two (2) years and a fine of ten thousand (10,000) euros to five hundred thousand (500,000) euros.”
It should be noted that Law 5026/2023, which replaced almost all of Law 3213/2003, explicitly exempted from repeal Article 8 of the latter, concerning the prohibition on the participation of political persons, especially party leaders represented in Parliament, in companies based in foreign countries or in non-cooperative tax states or states with preferential tax regimes, with the result that today the prohibition is still in full force and effect.
Statement by the Press Spokesman of the New Democracy, Nikos Romanos
“Mr. Kasselakis reacts to the investigation of the allegations of the former financial director of SYRIZA, directly attacking the judiciary with a statement – a recital of vulgarity and anti-institutionalism!
It is sad that a leader of an opposition party should attack Justice so vulgarly! Unfortunately, Mr Kasselakis confirms today that SYRIZA equals Polakism, no matter how many leaderships are changed, no matter how many moves Mr Polakis “endures”.
Where is the company of Stefanos Kasselakis
A skyscraper in Miami houses the company Osios LLC owned by Stefanos Kasselakis, from which came the 230,000 euros that the president of SYRIZA gave as a loan to Left Media to pay the salaries of the party media workers.
Constitutional law professor Kostas Chrysogonos told SKAI that there is an incompatibility between Mr Kasselakis and the company, which is based abroad and is also a political figure.
For his part, Stefanos Kasselakis replied that he would inform his lawyers whether there is an incompatibility, as he is not a member of parliament, although the law applies to the leaders of parliamentary parties.
“As long as the law also applies to me, I will sell the companies I have abroad,” he clarified
According to the law, Article 8 of Law 3213 of 2003, as amended in June 2016, stipulates that it is prohibited for MPs – MEPs and leaders of parties represented in the Parliament and the European Parliament – to own shares or all of the ownership of a foreign company.
In this case, the penalties are 2-5 years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to €500,000.
” A Clear sky, is not afraid of a lightning”, Koumoundourou sources say, on the prosecutor’s investigation into the Kasselakis company
“Clear skies, lightning is not afraid,” commented Koumoundourou sources after the order of a prosecutor’s investigation into a foreign company of the interests of SYRIZA PS President Stefanos Kasselakis.
The same sources referred to a post made by Kasselakis on the issue on February 23, where he said that “I will be immediately informed by my lawyers if the law applies to the parliamentary leaders of the parties, who are not allowed to be owners of foreign companies.”
“I, as is well known, am not a member of parliament. As long as the law applies to me, I will sell the companies I own abroad,” the SYRIZA president had said.
According to the same sources, there was a disagreement whether as an extra-parliamentarian he had the same obligations. However, once this was clarified, Mr. Kasselakis immediately transferred the shares, a process is now underway, they stress.
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Furthermore, the President of SYRIZA PS did not mislead anyone, because the 2023 tax returns have not yet been completed, the same sources explain.
In fact, the platform of theθεν έσχες has not even been opened, as the extension for the year 2022 is still in force, whenever Mr. Kasselakis was in America and had nothing to do with the Greek political scene.
As, moreover, party sources note, Stefanos Kasselakis from the beginning, when he was a candidate for the SYRIZA State Election ticket, had said – and it was known – in his CV that he was a businessman with a successful business in the US.
His companies, unlike those of the Mitsotakis family (Voltaire House, Panama Papers, etc.) have nothing to do with offshore companies that point to tax evasion, according to the same sources.
Moreover, all income from Mr. Kasselakis’ business activity has been taxed at a rate of 50%, in the USA. It is every dollar “clean” and this can easily be seen by anyone, they conclude.
