Syriza Leadership in Turmoil as Former Chief Faces Allegations of False Asset Declaration

07:54 8/11/2024 - Πηγή: iEfimerida

Stefanos Kasselakis, former leader of Syriza, is facing serious allegations of submitting false asset declarations, a development that could jeopardize his bid for the party’s presidency.

Syriza official Pavlos Polakis presented the accusations to the party’s Political Secretariat, asserting that Kasselakis failed to disclose all of his wealth, including holdings in offshore

companies.

Mr. Polakis argued that such omissions make Kasselakis unfit to run for the leadership of the party.

Following the session, Mr. Polakis stated: “My position towards Mr. Kasselakis has changed. A false asset declaration is grounds for disqualification from the leadership race.” Mr. Polakis added that Syriza’s transparency team had verified that the information Kasselakis submitted in his required financial disclosures appeared incomplete or misleading.

After reviewing Mr. Polakis’s findings, Syriza’s Political Secretariat released a statement noting “severe accusations, backed by specific and clear evidence,” indicating that Mr. Kasselakis may have misrepresented his financial holdings in disclosures to both the Greek Parliament and Syriza.

“Syriza will uphold transparency and defend the public interest, with zero tolerance for illegal activities, regardless of party affiliation,” the statement read.

The party emphasized that it cannot directly verify the accuracy of asset declarations; this responsibility rests with the Greek Parliament’s oversight bodies, which are tasked with examining Kasselakis’s filings from his time as Syriza’s leader.

The call to investigate the allegations won broad support within the Political Secretariat, including from prominent Kasselakis allies such as Rena Dourou and Nikos Skorinis, though Mr. Skorinis expressed some reservations regarding the legal grounds. Olympia Teligioridou abstained from the vote, while Theodora Tzakri declined to vote. Mr. Polakis stated he had only recently obtained the pertinent documentation and immediately shared it with the party.

Mr. Polakis detailed his findings, explaining that Syriza’s transparency team discovered significant discrepancies between Kasselakis’s asset declaration and his public statements about his financial and business interests. “This situation is a disgrace for a leader of a leftist party,” he declared, adding that he believes the party should take action to hold Mr. Kasselakis accountable.

Kasselakis’s 2023 asset declaration, published on Syriza's website, reportedly omitted a significant portion of his financial holdings, particularly in offshore entities. The statement, filed in June and publicized in October during the party’s presidential election campaign, has raised questions about Mr. Kasselakis’s involvement in multiple businesses. Mr. Polakis and Syriza officials allege that these omissions point to a deliberate withholding of key financial information.

Specifically, Mr. Kasselakis is accused of failing to disclose his involvement in several U.S.-based and offshore subsidiaries of Tiptree Marine, a company where he serves as CEO.

While Mr. Kasselakis listed his role in Tiptree Marine and his 0.4% stake in OSIOS LLC, he did not declare other assets and directorships tied to Tiptree Marine and its subsidiaries.

Mr. Kasselakis has publicly acknowledged receiving dividends from these undeclared entities, further fueling concerns over his compliance with Greek asset declaration laws.

As Syriza’s leadership faces this scandal, the controversy over Kasselakis’s asset declarations has stirred broader questions of accountability within the party. Though Mr. Kasselakis has yet to respond publicly, his standing within Syriza appears increasingly uncertain, especially as prominent figures within the party push for clarity and transparency.

With Syriza’s Political Secretariat now examining potential next steps, the unfolding case against Mr. Kasselakis is a stark reminder of the rigorous scrutiny surrounding financial disclosures in Greek public life. Its outcome could shape both the future of Mr. Kasselakis’s career and the leadership standards within Syriza.

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