Kantas names names

Antonis Kantas left innuendos for a former head of the New Democracy party, among others during his lengthy deposition.

Although not revealing any new evidence concerning his superior ministers (Akis Tsohatzopoulos, Yannos Papantoniou) he expressed his belief that since arms dealers gave him so much money, surely they would surely give to those “above” him.

He did mention a case of a procurement contract signed under a New Democracy government about which he knew details.

Kantas referred to a disagreement between then defense minister Miltiadis Evert and party chief Kostantinos Mitsotakis as one of the odder incidents concerning procurement contracts.

As he told inquisitors, the PM wanted one company and the defense minister another, and the PM finally got his way.

Antonis Kanta's 80 page deposition was compiled over four days are sure to be of interest to those implicated. Characteristically, according to journalistic sources, Yannis Sbokos, who has already been condemned in the submarine case, has asked his attorney Alexandros Lykourezos to get him a copy of the deposition as soon as it can be made available.

According to information exclusive to TheToc.gr, three more persons are ready to talk in exchange for a more lenient treatment. Two of those willing to talk have been identified as former arms intermediary Panos Efstathiou, 82, and Mihalis Mantalos, also a defendant for an arms procurement case. The third person, is also an arms dealer, and decided late Monday night to admit his involvement involvement and reveal everything he knows about other corrupt officials.

All three are expected to face inquisitors in the firast week of the new year.

Antonis Kantas has admitted to receiving around 16 million dollars in accounts in Singapore and Switzerland in return for helping to agree on Defense Ministry arms deals.

Kantas explained how under-the-table payments were made to secure the purchase of German-made Leopard tanks and Type 214 submarines. He also gave background to the deals to buy the German and Swedish-made ASRAD vehicle-mounted short-range air defense system, as well as the Russian-made Kornet missiles and launchers.

Sources said the retired official also described how a middleman left a suitcase containing 600,000 euros in cash in his office on one occasion. Magistrates already knew about one of the men alleged to be involved as he was a representative for German companies Rheinmetall and Atlas Elektronik.