Greek Vote to Fast-Track MPs’ Trials Sparks Backlash

Greek Justice Minister Georgios Floridis welcomes European Union Chief Prosecutor Laura Codruta Kovesi to the Ministry of Justice in Athens, October 2025. A political row has erupted after Greek lawmakers adopted a new law amendment setting fast-track trials for MPs whose immunity is lifted or are accused of flagrant crimes, which the government claims will bring transparency – but which has been strongly criticised by the opposition. The amendment speeds up trials in Greece for such offences.

It was adopted on Tuesday and backed only by governing New Democracy MPs. Misdemeanour cases will now immediately be submitted for trial to a three-member misdemeanour court within three months at most. Postponements or interruptions of such trials cannot exceed two months. Felony investigations are now mandatorily conducted by a special appellate investigator, bypassing the former time-consuming procedures. However, the new amendment appears to have annoyed the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, EPPO, as well as the Greek opposition. Media reports said the EPPO fears the new provision may undermine its authority by assigning the main investigations into crimes affecting EU interests to a national investigator. Justice Minister Giorgios Floridis on Wednesday in an interview acknowledged suspicions on the part of the EPPO that its investigative powers were being removed, insisting “that this is not happening in any case. “I made a legal improvement to the relevant provision so there would be no doubt [on the matter] and submitted an interpretative statement to parliament, namely that the powers of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, as they are in European regulation and in Greek legislation that has incorporated European regulation, remain intact – so the issue has been resolved,” he said. Meanwhile the Pleusi Eleftherias party, chaired by Zoe Konstantopoulou, a former member of the leftist SYRIZA party, filed an objection of unconstitutionality which was rejected. SYRIZA has demanded the withdrawal of the law amendment. “This is a tailored, non-germane amendment that reflects the government’s usual legislative practices. Its purpose is to fast-track cases involving MPs, as the government seeks to hastily cover its tracks so that politicians can extricate themselves and evade criminal liability,” SYRIZA MP Georgios Papailiou told BIRN.

Key points

• It was adopted on Tuesday and backed only by governing New Democracy MPs.
• Misdemeanour cases will now immediately be submitted for trial to a three-member misdemeanour court within three months at most.
• Postponements or interruptions of such trials cannot exceed two months.
• Felony investigations are now mandatorily conducted by a special appellate investigator, bypassing the former time-consuming procedures.
• However, the new amendment appears to have annoyed the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, EPPO, as well as the Greek opposition.