About which Russian companies in question are not specified in the message.

According to the agency, it was announced at the interrogation of one of the defendants in the corruption case, former representative of the German manufacturer of military equipment Krauss-Maffei Wegmann (KMW) Dimitris Papachristos. 78-year-old Papachristos accused of giving a bribe in the amount of € 750,000 to the former deputy head of the Department of the Defense Ministry Antonis Qantas arms, previously agreed to cooperate with the investigation.

During the interrogation Papachristos acknowledged Qantas bribe in exchange for official consent does not prevent the conclusion of a contract for the supply of the Greek army 24 PzH systems 2000 Papachristos also announced the names of six German businessmen representing three firms, which, according to him, had paid bribes to Greek officials, or, at least, we should have been aware of the corruption scam.

In turn, Qantas Antonis, who retired from his post as deputy head of the Defense Ministry weapons department in 2002, confessed to accepting bribes worth almost € 8 million.

The case of corruption in arms procurement was opened in the districtbeginning in January. Greek prosecutors examines the contracts signed in the period 1996-2002, when the Ministry of Defence led by Akis Tsokhadzopulos. In 2013, he was sentenced to eight first, and then - to 20 years in prison for false tax return and bribes for the conclusion of contracts for the purchase of arms. In this new case accused former deputy head of the Department of the Defense Ministry Antonis Qadasi arms. In late December, he was arrested. Under arrest were also two representatives of the German companies suspected of bribing Greek officials.

On Friday, Defense Minister Dimitris Avramopoulos said that because of the corruption scandal of arms purchases should be made more transparent. According to him, the Defense Ministry will soon submit its proposals to Parliament.

According to the budget expenditure on armaments Greece before the crisis ahead of all other EU countries. In 2009, Greece has spent on arms for about 4% of GDP, with the majority of the contracts were signed with foreign companies. Ministry of Defense Expenditures were one of the reasons why Athens in 2010, we were forced to seek financialhowling help from the EU and IMF, says Reuters.