Inquiry into Greek PMS over claims of bribery

Greece’s parliament has voted to investigate ten senior politicians, including two former prime ministers, over allegations they were involved in a pharmaceutical bribery scandal.

The allegations follow a judicial investigation into bribes Swiss drugmaker Novartis allegedly paid to boost the sales and prices of its products in Greece.

Officials in the government of left-wing Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras have described the alleged bribery scandal as the worst in modern Greek history.

The politicians to be investigated include central bank governor and former finance minister Yannis Stournaras as well as Dimitris Avramopoulos, a European commissioner and former health minister.

A committee will be set up to investigate each of the ten in a process expected to last at least a month. Under Greek law, parliament must investigate allegations against lawmakers before they can be stripped of immunity and prosecuted.