PM Mitsotakis: Correct and fast administration of justice an integral part of liberal democracy

The correct and quick administration of justice "is an integral part of liberal democracy," Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Tuesday, speaking at the plenary debate on a new draft bill by the Justice Ministry.

Mitsotakis noted that the bill - which calls for merger of county courts (eirinodikeia) with first-instance courts nationally - will speed up court decisions by nearly 30%.

The premier said that several reforms had been attempted in the past, and New Democracy had tried as early as 1999 to introduce the reforms the current bill does. The delay in court decisions has served to cast doubt on the rule of law or support various conspiracy theories, he added.

Staffing is not the issue, he noted: "We have a lot of judges and a great delay in administering justice. In the first degree, we have two kinds of courts. The result is that 154 county courts become a factor of uneven distribution of court cases. A 44% of judges is dealing with just 20% of the judicial materials. County court judges assume a very low number when the first-instance court judge takes on 300 cases."

'Justice delayed is justice unfair'

Nearly 100 county court judges will be upgraded to first-instance court judged, he noted. "There was extensive dialogue during the public consultation. Many views were incorporated. I will insist on the developmental and social nature of this reform. Justice that is delayed becomes unfair," he said, then cited the example of the results of the trial on the fire at Mati in 2018 that cost the lives of 104 people and injured scores of others. The sentencing on Monday outraged public opinion, with manslaughter-charged defendants set free with fines.

"I will note three things: First, the offences were judged on the basis of a more lenient framework that was in effect during SYRIZA's rule. If they were judged in the framework we voted for, the sentences would have been stricter. Second, it is true there was a great delay. Third, confidence must not be harmed. The rulings for Mati were neither final, nor irrevocable. They can, if justice so decides, be reexamined."

Mitsotakis also reiterated that Mati resulted in the current government's refounding civil protection and putting the emergency 112 number into operation.

The premier also attacked main oppoisition SYRIZA and leader Stefanos Kasselakis for rejecting everything and "distributing uncosted promises." Just in recent days, he added, "your leader managed to load the state budget with nearly 15 billion euros a year. Imagine how far the bill will go before the European elections. You are not telling us how many taxes this leads to."

On PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) leader Nikos Androulakis, the PM accused the party of being stuck in the past even though it wanted to show it was progressive.

In conclusion, PM Mitsotakis said the bill being voted on is another achievement added to the small and large milestones in his party's first term in power and to the instititutional initiatives in the second one. He urged citizens not to allow political toxicity to spread, and to vote at European elections on June 9. "Are we prepared to boost Greek demands at the European Parliament, or are we going to send representatives to criticize Greece at every opportunity?" he asked.