Former Skaramangas head denies receiving bribes

Sotiris Emmanouil, the former head of the Skaramangas shipyards, on Friday denied that he had received any bribes from German company Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft (HDW), which owned the site.

Facing a magistrate, Emmanouil insisted that he was paid 17 million euros over four years as wages, not as an under-the-table payment as part of a deal to sell submarines to the Hellenic Navy. He said HDW had insisted that the money be paid into the account of a company set up by the executive. He said that the money was declared to Greek tax authorities.

Emmanouil faces charges of accepting bribes and laundering money. According to prosecutors, Emmanouil is alleged to have handled 24 million euros in under-the-table payments for four submarine deals and to have kept at least 17 million euros of the money for himself. He was remanded in custody.