The Ministry of Justice submitted to Parliament an amendment that provides for the acceleration of all stages of criminal proceedings in cases involving Members of Parliament.
According to the explanatory memorandum accompanying the amendment, the proposed provision addresses delays in the criminal investigation and adjudication of offenses allegedly committed by Members of Parliament, which may result in prolonged pending criminal proceedings and adversely affect both the performance of their parliamentary duties and the country’s political and social life.
The amendment has been incorporated into the bill on the reform of Inheritance Law, which is scheduled to be introduced tomorrow, May 20, 2026, before the Plenary Session of Parliament for debate and voting.
Reason for the amendment are obviously the offenses against 11+2 New Democracy lawmakers and two former ministers allegedly involved in the OPEKEPE scandal of EU agricultural subsidies and as ordered by the European Prosecutor’s office in April 2026.
Ahead of the upcoming parliamentary elections – autumn 2026 or spring 2027 – , the government said that those involved in the scandal will still be candidates if the trials still pending.
The ministry may want to accelerate the proceedings for those ND MPs in a justice system that moves with the pace of a dying turtle, however, it will hardly manage to clear their names before the elections.
