EU Migration, Home Affairs and Citizenship Commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos ridiculed allegations on Tuesday that he is involved in the Novartis case of corruption and bribery, saying that "the so-called charges, imaginary and obviously false, were set up through whispers, unsubstantiated rumors and anonymous protected witnesses."
The Novartis case file involves an alleged 50 million euros in bribes over 2006-2015. Avramopoulos is named in the case for his tenure as health minister in 2006-2009.
"Who are the instigators who primed witnesses with false information, and what did they promise them (as reward)?" Avramopoulos said. "The fact that (the witnesses) themselves admit that what they claim was not gained first hand but they 'heard of it' is yet another proof that confirms their threadbare statements," he added.
"I?m surprised that the anonymous hoodies didn't further claim that I was bribed to mislead (?) the World Health Organisation, the European Union, the international scientific community and global media, when the flu outbreak began," he said, noting that "now that this conspiracy is coming to light, it's time for justice to weigh in."