2021 Rule of Law Report

A number of measures aiming at improving the efficiency and the quality of the Greek justice system are under way. The Code of Judicial Staff was adopted on 24 April 2021 and the elaboration of the Code of Conduct for Administrative Justice is ongoing, though no draft has been made public. Measures are being implemented to improve the quality of justice, in particular as regards the collection of judicial statistics and the creation of specialised chambers in courts and measures related to e-justice, although challenges remain namely as
regards digital signatures and the full implementation of electronic filing. The reform of the judicial map is a priority. Ongoing reforms in the civil procedure would have a positive impact on the administration of justice, which continues facing efficiency challenges.
Concerns relating to the procedure of appointments in the most senior positions of judges and
prosecutors remain.

A wide range of anti-corruption reforms that Greece has embarked on in the past years is being taken forward. The 2019 Constitutional review of the immunity regime for members of the Parliament and Ministers resulted in an extension of the statutory limit for investigations, and immunities have started to be lifted in some corruption cases, ending an important obstacle to the prosecution of high-level corruption. However, some practical issues remain, notably as regards resources for investigating corruption and delays in the management of
court files. Legislative gaps have not yet been filled concerning the regulation of lobbying.

Significant shortcomings remain in the effective oversight, in particular due to the division among four oversight bodies, and in the follow-up of the provisions concerning asset disclosures, conflicts of interest and party financing. While asset declarations from members of the Parliament and the Government are made public, this is done in a non-machine readable format and the reports on the outcome of the checks and on possible breaches or sanctioning procedures remain unavailable to the public.

The Greek Government has proposed new legislation to enhance the transparency of media ownership and public availability of media ownership information. The independence of the media regulator has been strengthened, while its financial capacity remains weak.

The murder of an investigative journalist, currently under investigation, has highlighted concerns about the safety of journalists and the necessity of improving their protection. The working conditions of journalists have been impacted negatively by the COVID-19 pandemic and no significant measures supporting directly the media sector have been put in place.

While there have been some improvements in the system of checks and balances in Greece, some challenges remain. However, improvements are noted in the law making process, in particular as regards the further implementation of the Executive State Law. Specific initiatives aim at improving standardisation and uniformity of the law-drafting process, simplification and rationalisation, as well as the introduction of a higher degree of
transparency and legal certainty.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, Greece has not triggered a state of emergency and all relevant measures were taken according to the normal legislative procedure.

The powers of the Ombudsperson were reinforced.

The registration system of NGOs active in the area of asylum, migration and social inclusion continues to be questioned by a number of civil society organisations.

πηγή: European Commission