Ex-minister banned from leaving country, has property seized

Akis Tsochatzopoulos, the former PASOK defense minister indicted in connection with bribes for the purchase of submarines, was on Wednesday banned from leaving the country and told to post 150,000 euros in bail as authorities said they would seize one of his properties in central Athens which he is alleged not to have declared to avoid paying taxes.

Tsochatzopoulos was released after testifying before investigating magistrate Theodoros Kanellopoulos, following his appeal against alleged discrepancies found during a probe into his finances.

According to sources, the former minister told the magistrate that he had acquired the property — on central Dionysiou Areopagitou Street, under the Acropolis — in 2010 and therefore had not mentioned it until the following year in his declaration of assets form (“pothen esches”).

Last summer, Parliament voted in favor of indicting Tsochatzopoulos in connection with the submarine bribes affair.