Commissioner backs embattled Greek data official

(ATHENS) - EU Taxation Commissioner Algirdas Semeta on Tuesday gave his full support to the head of Greece's data service Elstat who is accused of deliberately over-stating 2009 deficit figures.

"Probably for the first time in the course of many years ... Elstat was able to present ... data without any reservations from the commission," the commissioner said in defence of Elstat chief Andreas Georgiou.

"This demonstrates a very good track record," Semeta said.

EU statisticians in February also voiced solidarity with Georgiou, who was prosecuted in January for false reporting "to the detriment of the state" and "violation of duty".

The 2009 revelation that Greece's public deficit was actually more than double the previous official estimate of six percent precipitated the country's descent into economic crisis.

The measures and the accompanying EU-IMF bailout have proved hugely unpopular, and are widely blamed for the collapse of the Greek economy and for soaring unemployment.

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