The president of the Athens Medical Association, Giorgos Patoulis, has responded to political allegations concerning corporate registry filings for his Mediderma medical clinic, attributing the situation to a procedural flaw handled by an outside accountant.
Speaking on the OPEN television station on September 21, politician Pavlos Polakis stated that Patoulis acquired full ownership of the dermatology clinic in January 2024 before modifying its corporate status into a real estate management company for seven months in 2026.
According to Polakis, Patoulis signed an amendment to the articles of association on February 26, 2026, converting the private limited company into GPAT Consulting IKE. Polakis noted that the business, which conducted dermatology and plastic surgery procedures, only restored its original medical designation on September 15, 2026, following disclosures by the opposition Transparency Sector.
Polakis raised two specific questions regarding the corporate change, asking how an operational dermatology clinic could be listed as a real estate firm for seven months. He also asked whether the facility performed medical procedures and issued required financial documentation during that timeframe.
Commercial registry and corporate rules
In Greece, commercial businesses must log their official corporate purpose, legal structure, and executive changes with GEMI, the national General Commercial Registry. Private limited companies, known in Greek corporate law as IKE, are required to maintain an accurate operational scope in the register so that national tax authorities, healthcare regulators, and commercial bodies can monitor corporate compliance.
Under Greek corporate regulations, changes to a company's articles of association require formal registration in the commercial database. When a business alters its primary corporate object, the modification alters how the entity is classified for tax assessments, licensing inspections, and statutory reporting.
Addressing the claims in a public statement, Patoulis asserted that the Mediderma clinic operates with complete transparency and in full compliance with the law. He stated that the facility has held an active and valid operating license continuously from December 2022 to the present, maintaining dedicated departments for dermatology and plastic surgery with qualified medical heads.
Patoulis explained that administrative duties and GEMI filings were managed by an economist who serves as the sole manager of the company. He acknowledged that a procedural flaw had occurred during the registration process, but emphasized that no person or entity suffered financial or legal harm as a result of the error.
Medical association leadership
As president of the Athens Medical Association, Patoulis heads the primary regulatory body representing medical practitioners in the capital. The association is responsible for maintaining professional standards, issuing practice certificates, and ensuring ethical compliance among physicians in the Athens metropolitan area.
Polakis, a prominent Greek politician and former government health minister, has frequently raised public inquiries into corporate compliance, healthcare governance, and financial transparency among public figures.
Patoulis concluded his response by noting that while political criticism is a normal part of public debate, it should not be transformed into a tool for personal attacks. He stated that he chose to respond with documented facts and complete transparency, calling for an end to hostile political targeting.
