In 1996, however, Theodoros Karatzas, the minister who spearheaded the liberalization of the country's financial markets, was told to clean up the bank.

FORBES: Athens At The Crossroads

Two have resigned already: George Voulgarakis, the merchant-marine minister, whose wife acted as a notary for the deal, and Theodoros Roussopoulos, the government's spokesman.

ECONOMIST: Greece's riots

The incident came after the Greek foreign minister, Theodoros Pangalos, said America's President Clinton had broken a promise to sort out the Cyprus problem .

ECONOMIST: At last