Nearly one million euros from the secret funds of the Greek Foreign Ministry has been used to finance media outlets in Macedonia and Albania and as financial support for Orthodox Christian churches, according to reports published by Greece’s iefimerida news portal.
The text prompted a reaction from the PM’s office, MIA reports from Athens also citing reports of the Efimerida ton sindakton newspaper that the prosecution has ordered investigation into how and who leaked the confidential information.
iefimerida writes that the information dates to October 10, the last time the Greek Parliament was informed about the secret funds, in fact one week before outgoing FM Nikos Kotzias and Defense Minister Panos Kammenos fell out.
“Information reveal that the sealed document sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs had three codes, and the total amount put at a disposal was close to EUR 1.000.000. The first code referred to money distributed to media outlets in Albania. The second code referred to the financing of media in Macedonia. And the third code was about financial support of Orthodox Christian churches and Orthodox Christianity in general,” the Greek portal reports.
The vice presidents of Parliament said they wanted to know why media in Albania and Macedonia had been funded. According to iefimerida, the explanation was that it was done ‘in order positive articles about Greece to be written and to lobby amongst local journalists and media managements in favor of Greek interests.’
According to Efimerida ton sindakton, the Athens prosecution late on Thursday ordered investigation into leaks of confidential information following the article of the Greek news site.
Earlier that day, the PM’s office issued a statement saying the that the portal reporting about alleged distribution of secret Foreign Ministry funds was a pathetic attempt that directly affected national interests and accused New Democracy of being behind it.
“If Mr. Mitsotakis wants to be informed about the secret funds, he needs to ask for an urgent meeting with the premier,” Alexis Tsipras’ office responds.
