Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08THESSALONIKI22
2008-03-07 20:53:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Consulate Thessaloniki
Cable title:
NORTHERN GREEK FORMER MAYOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ROLE IN
how-toVZCZCXRO9093 RR RUEHAG RUEHAST RUEHDA RUEHDF RUEHFL RUEHKW RUEHLA RUEHLN RUEHLZ RUEHPOD RUEHROV RUEHSR RUEHVK RUEHYG DE RUEHIK #0022 0672053 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 072053Z MAR 08 FM AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 0322 INFO RUEHZL/EUROPEAN POLITICAL COLLECTIVE RUEHIK/AMCONSUL THESSALONIKI 0356
UNCLAS THESSALONIKI 000022
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SMIG GR
SUBJECT: NORTHERN GREEK FORMER MAYOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ROLE IN
FACILITATING PROSTITUTION
UNCLAS THESSALONIKI 000022
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SMIG GR
SUBJECT: NORTHERN GREEK FORMER MAYOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ROLE IN
FACILITATING PROSTITUTION
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 11, the Thrace Appeals Court
imposed prison sentences on the former mayor of Sapes
(northeastern Greek Municipality of Rodopi) and three other
people for their roles in the issuing of fraudulent documents to
foreigners, some of whom were females involved in prostitution.
Three members of the local police (including the head of the
department at the time) have also been charged, but not yet
tried. Thrace contacts say there is not yet any evidence that
the case involved trafficking, but this possibility has not been
ruled out. It is the first time, in post's knowledge, that an
elected official has been prosecuted for a case involving
prostitution or trafficking in northern Greece. END SUMMARY
2. (SBU) According to Thrace police, in the summer of 2001, the
municipal council of the town of Sapes (a small agricultural
town in the northeastern Greek Prefecture of Rodopi) issued
fraudulent documents to 173 foreign inhabitants of the area
which helped them obtain residence permits. Some of the
recipients were women offering sex services in a night club of a
nearby village (Velkio). The case came to light when one of the
women involved approached the prosecutor and told her story. On
February 11 the court sentenced the owner of the club (G.
Tsakiris) to nine years and 4 months imprisonment for pandering
SIPDIS
and bribery and the former mayor of the town (N. Haritopoulos)
to two years imprisonment for "passive" bribery (being aware of
bribery without reporting it) and breach of duty. Additionally,
two other people were sentenced to 24 and 17 months
respectively. All of those convicted are free pending appeal.
3. (SBU) The head of the local police department and two other
policemen have also been charged in the case, but no date has
been set for their trial. NGO and police contacts have informed
post that the alleged role of the local police in the case is
unclear and that details may not emerge before the trial. The
trial will be closely watched since prosecution of law
enforcement or government officials in Greece is extremely rare.
NGO and other post contacts say they have seen no indications
that the women involved in the case were victims of trafficking.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: To post's knowledge, this is the first time
in northern Greece a mayor or other prominent elected official
has been tried and convicted of involvement in prostitution or
trafficking. The case is also notable because the convicted
former mayor, Haritopoulos, is reportedly a close associate of
opposition PASOK party leader, George Papandreou (who reportedly
was Haritopoulos's best man and godfather of his son). Local
post contacts expressed the hope that the case will mark the end
of an era during which a combination of apathy and collusion
allowed official corruption to flourish in Thrace. The expected
trial of the police and its outcome will help determine further
whether this hope is justified. Post will continue to monitor
the case, including efforts to ascertain whether it involved
trafficking.
YEE
SIPDIS
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EUR/SE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PHUM SMIG GR
SUBJECT: NORTHERN GREEK FORMER MAYOR SENTENCED TO PRISON FOR ROLE IN
FACILITATING PROSTITUTION
1. (SBU) SUMMARY: On February 11, the Thrace Appeals Court
imposed prison sentences on the former mayor of Sapes
(northeastern Greek Municipality of Rodopi) and three other
people for their roles in the issuing of fraudulent documents to
foreigners, some of whom were females involved in prostitution.
Three members of the local police (including the head of the
department at the time) have also been charged, but not yet
tried. Thrace contacts say there is not yet any evidence that
the case involved trafficking, but this possibility has not been
ruled out. It is the first time, in post's knowledge, that an
elected official has been prosecuted for a case involving
prostitution or trafficking in northern Greece. END SUMMARY
2. (SBU) According to Thrace police, in the summer of 2001, the
municipal council of the town of Sapes (a small agricultural
town in the northeastern Greek Prefecture of Rodopi) issued
fraudulent documents to 173 foreign inhabitants of the area
which helped them obtain residence permits. Some of the
recipients were women offering sex services in a night club of a
nearby village (Velkio). The case came to light when one of the
women involved approached the prosecutor and told her story. On
February 11 the court sentenced the owner of the club (G.
Tsakiris) to nine years and 4 months imprisonment for pandering
SIPDIS
and bribery and the former mayor of the town (N. Haritopoulos)
to two years imprisonment for "passive" bribery (being aware of
bribery without reporting it) and breach of duty. Additionally,
two other people were sentenced to 24 and 17 months
respectively. All of those convicted are free pending appeal.
3. (SBU) The head of the local police department and two other
policemen have also been charged in the case, but no date has
been set for their trial. NGO and police contacts have informed
post that the alleged role of the local police in the case is
unclear and that details may not emerge before the trial. The
trial will be closely watched since prosecution of law
enforcement or government officials in Greece is extremely rare.
NGO and other post contacts say they have seen no indications
that the women involved in the case were victims of trafficking.
4. (SBU) COMMENT: To post's knowledge, this is the first time
in northern Greece a mayor or other prominent elected official
has been tried and convicted of involvement in prostitution or
trafficking. The case is also notable because the convicted
former mayor, Haritopoulos, is reportedly a close associate of
opposition PASOK party leader, George Papandreou (who reportedly
was Haritopoulos's best man and godfather of his son). Local
post contacts expressed the hope that the case will mark the end
of an era during which a combination of apathy and collusion
allowed official corruption to flourish in Thrace. The expected
trial of the police and its outcome will help determine further
whether this hope is justified. Post will continue to monitor
the case, including efforts to ascertain whether it involved
trafficking.
YEE