Decision of the Special Court on Nikos Pappaformer Minister of State in the SYRIZA-ANEL government, who is on trial for dereliction of duty in relation to his handling of the television licenses.

The decision is announced at 10:00, and in case of admission of guilt, the process will be completed later. Together with a former minister, a businessman is tried as an accomplice in dereliction of duty Christos Kalogritsas who participated in the tender for television licenses and accused the former minister of acting on his orders in order for the then government to acquire a channel of its own influence.

Thirteen supreme judges, seven Areopagites and six councilors of state will decide whether the former associate of Alexei Tsipras will be found innocent or guilty. The President of the Special Court of John Klapa-Christodoula will announce the decision of the panel, which is irrevocable, that is, it does not provide for an appeal or any other remedy.

From the moment the decision was announced, the permanent prosecutor of the trial, Olga Smyrlis, will be absent due to illness, and deputy prosecutor Dimitris Asprogerakas will be present instead.

Former minister Nikos Pappas is accused of dereliction of duty and businessman Kristos Kalogritsas of complicity in the crime the former minister is facing. According to the prosecution, Christos Kalogritsas, at the suggestion of Nikos Pappas, took part in the tender for television licenses and entered into a virtual contract with the construction giant CCC to secure a letter of guarantee for 3 million euros and be able to take part in the tender. Then, when he could not name the amount of the first installment, the former minister allegedly acted as an intermediary so that Christos Kalogritsas would meet with other businessmen and find the money. The goal was for the businessman to get a television license and for the new channel to have journalists close to SYRIZA.

The two defendants chose not to apologize in court, but their positions were developed by their defenders. Nikos Pappas didn’t even attend the trial, as he described it as “political” from the start.

The testimony of the secretary of Christos Kalogritsa Evalias Diamantis made a sensation at the trial that “sacks and envelopes with money left the office of Kalogritsa in the direction of the SYRIZA party.” Diamantis’ testimony was sued by Nikos Pappas, although Kalogritsa’s secretary did not personally involve him in her money testimony.

District Attorney Olga Smyrlis during the hearings in the Special Court proposed to acquit both defendants, but her proposal is not binding on the members of the Special Court. “Nikos Pappa did not make any interventions that could create a problem of prejudice against Kalogritsa. There is no other reference in the accusation of breach of duty that could constitute a breach of his duties as a competent minister,” the prosecutor concluded.