Greek abbot jailed over corruption scandal

Updated: 2011-12-29 09:45

(Xinhua)

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Greek abbot jailed over corruption scandal

Cypriot-born abbot Efraim is transferred to Korydallos prison near Athens December 28, 2011. [Photo/Agencies]

ATHENS - The abbot of a Christian Orthodox monastery at the centuries-old monastic community on Mount Athos in northern Greece was imprisoned on Wednesday in Athens pending trial.

The transfer of Cypriot-born abbot Ephrem to the maximum-security Korydallos prison in Athens triggered reactions by conservative circles in Greece and as far as Russia, shortly after his visit to Moscow for fundraising a few weeks ago.

Abbot Ephrem is accused of fraud and embezzlement in a case of controversial swaps of land owned by Vatopedi monastery and the Greek state. According to Greek authorities the state suffered multi-million euro damages from the agreements made with former officials.

The abbot, as well as former ministers investigated without consequences due to the statute of limitations ever since, have denied any wrongdoing. But Greek judicial authorities argue that they have gathered strong evidence against him and ordered his detention last week.

He spent Christmas under house arrest at the monastery suffering from a health problem, before being transferred to Korydallos prison eventually on Wednesday.

As there has not been set a date for trial, his lawyers are due to request his release on bail for health reasons as well. If found guilty, he faces a long jail term,

Some dozens monks, priests and ordinary citizens protested the abbot's arrest with banners against "atheists who prosecute believers" outside the prison complex and the headquarters of Greek police and the Supreme court nearby.

The rightist Popular Orthodox Rally (LAOS) party that supports the interim government, also criticised the detention, while the Russian Orthodox Church and the Russian Foreign Ministry issued statements expressing "concern" over the ruling of the Greek judiciary.

Greek Justice Minister Miltiadis Papaioannou and Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Gregory Delavekouras rejected the criticism, stressing that Greece is democracy ruled by law and accepts no interference in the work of the independent justice system.

Greece struggles to stave off bankruptcy with the support of EU/International Monetary Fund bailout loans over the past two years under a heavy debt burden that has been accumulated due to mismanagement and corruption, according to analysts.