Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis faces renewed Novartis scandal accusations

Greek Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis is at the centre of a renewed political controversy over the Novartis scandal. Independent MP Mario Salmas has alleged that Georgiadis asked Novartis executive Konstantinos Frouzis to place a €2,000 advertising banner for a website linked to a journalist’s relative, and that he tried to shield a protected witness, Nikos Maniadas, from the prosecutor. Georgiadis has rejected the claims, stating that the messages are already part of the court‑file and that the judiciary has dismissed them as unfounded.

Opposition parties, including PASOK and ELAS, have called for Georgiadis’s removal from the Health Ministry, accusing the government of covering up the affair. The government’s spokesperson has defended the minister, saying no new evidence has emerged and that the case was closed by the courts. In Parliament, Salmas’s immunity was lifted, allowing legal proceedings to continue, and Georgiadis has filed a defamation lawsuit against Salmas.

The dispute has intensified political tensions, with both sides exchanging accusations and demanding accountability, while Georgiadis emphasizes his lengthy ministerial record and claims the controversy is a personal attack rather than a matter of public interest.