Association of Judges and Prosecutors for Tempe: Greek justice stays out of political play

By its announcement, the , clears the landscape regarding judicial investigations into the case of . The Association of Justices and Prosecutors notes that “Greek Justice stays out of political play and Greek Justices and Prosecutors conscientiously carry out their duties. “ At the same time, the announcement of the country’s largest judicial union states that the House is responsible for any criminal responsibilities and that the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is only pursuing offences against the European Union’s financial interests. In particular, the notice of the Union of Judges and Advocates shall indicate the following: * Hellenic Justice, from the first time the tragic accident occurred in Tempes, explores the criminal responsibilities for the crimes performed and no one can account for any flooding or diminution in the relevant judicial investigation, which continues at unabated pace, moving in any direction. * For any criminal responsibilities of Ministers, the provision of Article 86 of the Constitution applies, according to which the investigation of the criminal responsibilities of those persons, as well as the exercise of criminal prosecution, falls within the exclusive competence of the House. This provision of Article 86 has been applicable since the adoption of the current Constitution and none of the current Governments has recommended its revision, and aims at the seamless operation of the direct bodies of the State – bodies of the executive authority so that on the one hand these bodies are not exposed to prosecutions at any time in the performance of their duties, on the other hand, their acts at the level of preliminary investigation and prosecution should fall within the competence of the House, namely the supreme institution of the exercise of parliamentary control. * The European Public Prosecutor’s Office is an institution of the EU, which is responsible only for investigating and prosecuting crimes against the European Union’s financial interests in general. The investigation of the criminal responsibilities of the Tembes accident belongs to the exclusive jurisdiction of Greek Justice, which can also take advantage of any findings of the European Prosecutor’s Office’s investigation in any subject of its competence. * The European Prosecutor in the exercise of her prosecutorial duties is not institutionally correct to recommend the revision of constitutional provisions of the Hellenic Republic, which (revision procedure) is the responsibility of the House and is determined by the provision of Article 110 of the Constitution. Otherwise, the principle of neutrality and impartiality of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and the belief of citizens in the institution are shaken. * Finally, Greek Justice has distinct jurisdiction, clearly defined, which cannot be substituted but cannot be undermined by any institutions of both the European Union and the Greek State. Every judicial investigation is conducted within the current institutional framework, which has never been found incompatible either with the Constitution or with Union Law.