State Control of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE): What is really at stake?

20 December 2007 Liberal Alliance Press Release

Liberal Alliance notes the press stories (Sueddeutsche Ζeitung,December 18, 2007) revealing investigations carried out by the German Authorities about bribes of SIEMENS to Greek Political Parties and managers of the Hellenic Telecommunications Organisation (OTE). According to this preliminary information, SIEMENS was 'covertly supporting' both PASOK and New Democracy in order to ensure the company's favourable position whichever big party happened to be in power

Liberal Alliance considers this matter of greatest importance affecting the very function of democracy in Greece and calls for the Greek Justice authorities to cooperate fully with the prosecutors in Munich so that any bribing businessmen and any bribed politicians and employees of the OTE will be revealed and face criminal prosecution.

Beyond the criminal aspect of this matter, Liberal Alliance considers that these revelations pose a serious question about the real motives of all the politicians and union leaders who defend state control over OTE. The revelations also bring into question the motives of recent decision by the Greek Government to forbid to private investors to acquire more than 20% of the companies of 'national strategic importance' so that the state control will not be in jeopardy.

Liberal Alliance responded immediately to this decision, notifying the matter to the European Union's Competition Commissioner and asking for his intervention, and submitting that the government control over OTE and other Public Services Organizations, perpetuate the intra party corruption and the unpunished stripping of their assets from special interests.

One week after the Liberal Alliance has notified the EU Competition Commissioner, the recent press information from Germany confirms the sad state of affairs.