Germany gives Athens details of tax cheats

A German federal state said on Wednesday it had transferred details of secret Swiss bank accounts with assets worth nearly $4 billion to Athens, as part of efforts to clamp down on Greek tax cheats.

"The Greek government is taking an important step to bring about more tax honesty in the country. We in North Rhein-Westphalia are supporting the authorities there," said North Rhine-Westphalia's finance minister Norbert Walter-Borjans.

"Thanks to the successful work of our tax investigators, we are able to help," he added.