Greece’s highest judge, the President of Supreme Court, Vasiliki Thanou denounced methods to smear and intimidate judges by people involved in corruption cases. Speaking at an event at the National School for Judges, Thanou said that judges dealing with cases of corruption are exposed to intimidation.
“These methods do not touch the morally intact judges,” Thanou said and spoke of “methods to smear and intimidate even high-ranking judges who investigate corruption and intermingling cases” and thus”by the people involved in these cases.” She underlined that “these methods do not touch the honest and uncorrupted judges.”
I have no idea whether Thanou was speaking of herself or of other judges as well. But newspaper To Vima.gr commented that”Thanou’s speech contains hint as an answer to the legal action against her.”
Beginning of the month, a well-known Greek businessman took legal action against Thanou alleging bribery of judicial officials and attempted blackmail.
As President of the Supreme Court, Vasiliki Thanou served as caretaker Prime Minister of Greece from August 27 until September 21 and took the country to elections on 20. September 2015.
Just out of interest, how are judges selected? I’d have thought that part of the selection process would be (indeed should be) to ensure that the any judge is already ‘morally intact’ and ‘honest and uncorrupted’. Or am I hoping for the impossible?