Greek PM expels party critic, scandals hurt image

Greece's prime minister expelled dissident member of parliament Petros Tatoulis from the ruling New Democracy party on Monday, cutting his government majority to the minimum 151 seats in the 300-member national parliament.
Petros Tatoulis was dismissed after the lawmaker criticised the government for its policies and for scandals in a media interview. Here are the main scandals to hit the government:
* VATOPEDI SCANDAL – September 2008:
Greek merchant marine minister George Voulgarakis resigned amid mounting criticism from within his New Democracy party over property transactions, including a land swap between the state and the wealthy Vatopedi monastery where his wife acted as agent. He insisted he had done nothing illegal but the Finance Ministry annulled the deal and a judicial investigation showed deputy ministers were involved in the land swap which media said cost taxpayers over 100 million euros. Parliament set up an investigating committee in October and, the very same day, one of the prime ministers' closest aides and Minister of State, Theodore Roussopoulos, resigned over his suspected role in the land deals between the monastery and the state.
* FERRY CONTRACTS – August 2008:
Prosecutors launched an investigation after a wealthy shipowner said he had paid bribes to an official in the office of former Aegean Minister Aristotelis Pavlidis in return for lucrative ferry routes. Pavlidis strongly denied his aide had accepted bribes, and has received the backing of the government.
* SIEMENS – May 2008:
Greece is investigating whether German engineering group Siemens bribed companies and officials to win deals including the security contract for the 2004 Olympics. A prosecutor has filed charges and an investigating judge has launched an inquiry. A German court convicted former Siemens executive Reinhard Siekaczek in July for his role in setting up slush funds used to win contracts. Siemens gave at least 1.3 billion euros ($2 billion) in suspect payments.
* SEX, LIES AND DVDs – February 2008:
Former Culture Ministry General Secretary Christos Zahopoulos resigned and jumped from his fifth-floor balcony after a DVD showing him having sex with his female assistant was taken to the office of Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis. What media dubbed the "sex, lies and DVDs" scandal shook Greek society and cut the government majority to one deputy after the temporary resignation of an MP. Zahopoulos survived the fall.
* INDIAN WORKERS – December 2007:
Labour Minister Vassilis Magginas resigned after the Greek press said he employed an uninsured Indian family at his country home. The scandal came at the time of unpopular pension reforms fiercely opposed by labour unions. He denied any wrongdoing, saying the Indians were his guests.
* BONDS – March 2007:
A 280-million euro, 12-year structured government bond with a 6.25 percent coupon, issued in February 2007 by the Finance Ministry and underwritten by JP Morgan, passed through several brokers before ending up with state pension funds at inflated prices. Labour Minister Savvas Tsitourides was sacked and the deal reversed. Prosecutors have announced hundreds of charges from fraud to money laundering, but have not named any individuals. The investigation goes on.
* WIRE-TAPPING – February 2006:
In March 2006, the government revealed that more than 100 people, including Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis, had their mobile phones tapped around the Athens 2004 Olympics. A two-year judicial investigation into the so-called "Greek Watergate" was dropped in January when prosecutors said they were unable to find evidence leading to the culprits.