The plenary of Greece’s Supreme Court issued a statement slamming a resolution adopted last week by the European Parliament regarding press freedom and the threat to the rule of law in Greece.
The Supreme Court statement spoke of “a direct interference in the work of the Greek judicial authorities, regarding a series of cases that are pending before the courts, with unproven and unsubstantiated allegations.
the Administrative Plenary of the supreme court with a majority of 49 – 13 proceeded with a response to the European Parliament, arguing that the latter’s position is based on “vague and unsubstantiated objections” and on “questionable data and conclusions that have been drawn without substantiation with the quotation false and unverified information”.
In its statement the Supreme Court states that:
-It assures that the Greek judicial and prosecutorial officials serve the rule of law and the principles of the separation of functions, the independence of justice, fair trial and the protection of the presumption of innocence of every citizen and perform their duties obeying only the Constitution, the laws and in their consciousness.
The full text of the decision with the opinions of the majority and the minority will be published in the coming days.”
The EP resolution refers to the investigations into the Tempi train crash, wiretapping, corruption cases, media funding, the murder of journalist Giorgos Karaivaz, as well as the migrant shipwreck off southern Greece last summer.
In the EP resolution adopted with 330 votes in favor, 254 against, and 26 abstentions, MEPs expressed grave concerns about what they said were very serious threats to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in the country.
