Samaras VIP aircraft almost stuck in Berlin due to outstanding fuel debt

Posted by keeptalkinggreece in Politics

 The aircraft that carried prime minister Antonis Samaras to Berlin beginning of the week was almost forced to remain landed at the airport due to a fuel debt of 5,000 euro. The unexpected incident occurred during the fueling process for the return trip to Greece.
According to daily Eleftherotypia,

“the supplier company declined to provide fuel service, citing there was an outstanding debt and it did not accept the so-called ‘fuel-card’.
The amount was available however it had been blocked by the audit council. Nevertheless, an alternative solution was found and thus without political interference.  The dispute was over 5,000 euro.”

However Eleftherotypia does not mention how exactly the problem was solved and if Samaras himself or somebody from the Greek mission accompanying the prime minister in Germany came up for the needed amount.
Greek government owes three VIP jets – one GULFSTREAM and two EMBRAER. Each take off of these jets costs the Greek taxpayer 46,000 euro, according to some press reports in the past.
According to onalert.gr, Samaras government was planning last August to sell or even lease the three VIP aircrafts in an effort to reduce expenses. The cost of the VIP aircraft is 3,193 euro per flight hour. However the VIP flights continue uninterrupted until today.