New billcombats political corruption
- Written by E.Tsiliopoulos
Justice minister Charalambos Athanasiou introduced a new bill which institutes heavy sentences for public and private sector corruption cases today.
It is called the “bill for fighting corruption and public interest witness protection” and regulates penalties for corruption, while offering better treatment and special protection for those assisting in corruption investigations.
Concerning corruption convictions, penalties are much stricter with up to 10 year sentences for embezzlement of even less than 120,000 euros. These sentences stand for both public sector and private sector fraud. As for those assisting investigations, the bill says they will be named “public interest witnesses”.
For the first time in a bill, politicians of all ranks (be it MPs or the President of the Republic himself) could serve as many as 20 years and pay a fine as high as 150,000 euros if convicted for fraud while serving their duties.
Convicted parties will ave their properties confiscated and their political rights stripped, while those accused who turn witnesses, get their sentences reduced if they reveal essential evidence to the prosecution.
The bill even penalizes influence over fraud deals by parties acting as in-between. Anyone convicted of benefiting in exchange for unfair influence on a public official, politician or employee will be sentenced to up to 5 years and fined up to 50,000 euros.
The bill is set forth for public debate, which means it should be put to vote within the next couple of months.
