During the proceedings of today’s 38th general meeting of the members of the Hellenic Prosecutors’ Association (EEE), the topical issues of the changes to the Criminal Code, as well as the new judicial charter, dominated.

In particular, the Minister of Justice Giorgos Floridis referred to the basic provisions of the bill for the amendments to the Criminal Code. However, comments and disagreements on the content of the bill were expressed by the president of the EEE Evangelos Bakelas and the adviser of the Athens Bar Association Theodoros Mantas, as well as the representatives of the political parties during their greetings.

In more detail, Mr. Floridis reiterated that we cannot but make changes to the prevailing impunity, we must protect the victims and no one can be imprisoned in the end, while he mentioned that even the terrorist cannot be investigated if he has regretted be released from prison, as the Judicial Council does not have the possibility to check it.

Regarding the proposed arrangement for the inclusion of Justices of the Peace in the rank of First Judge, the Minister of Justice stated that there is nothing that cannot be done and wondered why some object, since they will have a financial upgrade. Regarding the new judicial map, the minister reiterated that the submitted findings, both of the working group of the Ministry of Justice and the World Bank, are purely advisory in nature and added that there cannot be judges issuing 5 decisions a year.

For his part, the president of the EEE, Mr. Bakelas, stated that the Constitution excludes the inclusion of Justices of the Peace in the Courts of First Instance and added that approximately 100 Justices of the Peace exercise investigative duties and there must be a relevant provision in case of their inclusion in the Prosecutors’ Offices of First Instance.

Also, the president of the EEE stated that 147,000 lawsuits are filed every year in the Athens District Attorney’s Office and 55,000 lawsuits in the Thessaloniki District Attorney’s Office, but despite all this, there is an understaffing in the Prosecutor’s Offices both by prosecutors and by court officials.

Regarding the judicial map, Mr. Bakelas expressed his objections to the planned abolition of 5 Courts of Appeal, whose establishment was deemed necessary, but at the same time, local social needs are not taken into account for their abolition.

Regarding the changes in the Penal Code, the president of the EEE pointed out that the frequent interventions correct mistakes but cause problems for the implementers of the amendments (s.s.: judges, prosecutors and lawyers), but at the same time the feeling of legal insecurity is growing.

Referring to the amendment of the Penal Code which provides for the serving of part of the sentences for minor crimes, the president of the EEE, said that the situation that prevails today in the country’s prisons should not be forgotten.

The representative of the Athens Bar Association and member of the Board of Directors, Theodoros Mantas, emphasized that the legal community will not back down on the single-member composition of the courts provided for by the controversial bill, as they create insecurity.

Also, Mr. Mantas stated that the main issue of delays in the administration of Justice is not the postponements requested by the lawyers, but the time required from the day of the act to the day of the introduction of the case to the audience. At the same time, he noted that there is a big difference between the amount of the sentences imposed and the time the convicts are released from prison. And he clarified that the portion of the sentence served is small in relation to the sentence imposed.

The representative of the Piraeus Bar Association and member of the Board of Directors of Ioannis Voutas, was in favor of law-making committees for the drafting of bills and disagreed with them being drawn up by working groups, as was done in this case with the proposed amendments to the Criminal Code and without even existing introductory report on the bill.

At the same time, Mr. Voutas disagreed with the provision of the bill that provides for the serving of part of the sentence in the area of ​​minor offenses, as the required infrastructure does not exist in prisons, as he also disagreed with the single-member composition of the courts, as a single judge cannot to decide on major crimes.

Finally, the president and prosecutor of the Supreme Court, Ioanna Klapa and Georgia Adelini, respectively, addressed the general meeting, while the Deputy Minister of Justice Ioannis Bougas also attended the work of the general assembly.