ATHENS
Two ambassadors and a top diplomat are among those who are under investigation for corruption by the Greek Police Directorate on Tuesday.
In a statement released by the directorate, the Lower Court of Athens is in receipt of a corruption case file of 80 pages against eight people including the two top diplomats and a former director of the Greek Foreign Ministry's International Development Agency.
It was stated that those under investigation are alleged to have illegally obtained €9 million (US$12.3 million) via a civil society institution working on mine clearance programs in Bosnia Herzegovina, Lebanon and Iraq.
It was also added in the statement that the respective civil society institution received money from the Foreign Ministry for eight different mine clearance projects which did not meet the required Foreign Ministry's criteria to undertake the projects. Moreover, it was stated that the eight accused also violated many rules to cover up the alleged corruption.
The investigation is being carried out by the Foreign Ministry of Financial Affairs Department. The chairman of the civil society institution was detained and all of his and his wife's property was confiscated. The eight under investigation are accused of fraud, money laundering and malpractice.
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