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ATHENS, Greece (AP) - A court on Wednesday cleared seven former state company executives of mishandling more than 700 million euros ($820 million) in public funds with intent to boost the Athens Stock Exchange before general elections in 2000.
Greece's long-governing Socialists narrowly won the 2000 poll amid a collapse in share prices. Prime Minister Costas Caramanlis' conservatives won the last general election in 2004.
The court's three judges cleared the former officials of the Public Portfolio Management Company, known as DEKA, of criminal charges alleging they mishandled state funds. Lesser charges were dropped because they had exceeded a five-year statute of limitations.
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