Skip to main content
Tuesday, November 10, 2026Nov 10
Subscribe
All Sections
Search
More

Greek lawmaker alleges bribery attempt in presidential vote

Lawmakers attend the first round of voting to elect a new Greek president at the Parliament in Athens on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Parliament has failed to elect a new Greek president in the first round of voting, leaving another two tries before the government falls and early elections have to be called. The conservative-led government's candidate, former European Commissioner Stavros Dimas, received 160 votes Wednesday, far short of the 200 needed for an outright win. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)
Lawmakers attend the first round of voting to elect a new Greek president at the Parliament in Athens on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Parliament has failed to elect a new Greek president in the first round of voting, leaving another two tries before the government falls and early elections have to be called. The conservative-led government's candidate, former European Commissioner Stavros Dimas, received 160 votes Wednesday, far short of the 200 needed for an outright win. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis) Lawmakers attend the first round of voting to elect a new Greek president at the Parliament in Athens on Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2014. Parliament has failed to elect a new Greek president in the first round of voting, leaving another two tries before the government falls and early elections have to be called. The conservative-led government's candidate, former European Commissioner Stavros Dimas, received 160 votes Wednesday, far short of the 200 needed for an outright win. (AP Photo/Thanassis Stavrakis)

By Associated Press 2 min read

ATHENS, Greece (AP) – A lawmaker from a small right-wing party claimed Friday he had been offered a bribe worth up to 3 million euros ($3.68 million) to vote in favor of electing Greece’s new president, in the latest twist in the bailed-out country’s fraught presidential vote.

Greece faces early general elections if its 300-member parliament fails to elect a president by the third round of voting on Dec. 29. In Wednesday’s first round, the sole candidate and government nominee garnered 160 votes; 180 are needed for election.

Actor Pavlos Haikalis of the Independent Greeks claimed during a phone-in to a live television program that he was offered about 700,000 euros in cash, a loan repayment and advertising contracts, with the alleged bribe’s total value amounting to about 2-3 million euros ($2.4-$3.7 million). He didn’t identify the person, but said he had informed a prosecutor about two weeks ago and had turned over audio and video material.

It’s the second such claim from the Independent Greeks. Another of the party’s lawmakers claimed last month that someone had approached her with the intention of bribing her.

Government spokeswoman Sofia Voultepsi dismissed the allegations as “badly acted theater.” She called for any evidence to be made public, and for those making the allegations to be prosecuted if there was none.