The Association of Judges and Prosecutors against Maximos for the secondment of judges to the government

Strong reaction from Association of Judges and Prosecutors, in the government's decision to allow the secondment of active judicial officials to the office of the vice president of the government, Panagiotis Pikrammenos.

In a statement, the EDE, among other things, described this move by the government as «unprecedented and inconceivable.» The statement also notes that «Until now, secondments to the Ministry of Justice were permitted to assist with legislative work. There is no justification for seconding the Deputy Prime Minister, who has no such duties.

Furthermore, in its announcement, the EDE complains that it has been excluded by the government and has no information about the changes being prepared by the Ministry of Justice regarding the Code of Judicial Organisation. Specifically, it states that «At the same time that the Vice President of the Government is announcing changes to the evaluation of judicial officials, having already expressed his views on the introduction of the institution of term-limited judges, the reduction in the number of judges and courts, and seniority, the above amendment prepares us for the planning that is being done without our knowledge.».

Finally, the announcement emphasizes that the EDE keeps the International Association of Judges constantly informed of all developments in Greece.

It should be noted that the decision of the Prime Minister's Office amends paragraph 6 of Article 51 of the Code of Judicial Organization and thus now allows for the secondment of judicial officials to the office of the Vice President of the Government.

Specifically, with the amendment, which bears the signatures of almost half of the cabinet (Panagiotis Pikrammenos, Christos Staikouras, Konstantinos Tsiaras, Makis Voridis, Theodoros Skylakakis, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis), judicial officials may be seconded to the Deputy Prime Minister and the Ministry of Justice to carry out legislative work and duties related to the training of judicial officials, on a full-time and exclusive basis, for a period of one year, with the possibility of equal-length extensions.

The full announcement by the EDE:

«Article 5 of the amendment submitted by the Ministry of Justice to the draft law on the Penal Codes paragraph 6 of Article 51 of the Code of Judicial Organization is amended, and judicial officials may now also be seconded to the office of the Vice President of the Government.

The provision is novel and inconceivable. Until now, secondments to the Ministry of Justice were permitted to assist with legislative work. There is no justification for secondment to the Vice-President of the Government, who has no such duties.

At a time when judicial associations are excluded from the government and are unaware of the changes being prepared by the Ministry of Justice to the Code of Judicial Organization, at the same time that the Vice President of the Government is announcing changes to the evaluation of judicial officials, having already stated his position on the introduction of the institution of judges serving fixed terms, the reduction in the number of judges and courts, and the annual register, the above amendment prepares us for the planning that is being done without our knowledge.

We are constantly vigilant and keep the International Association of Judges informed about developments in Greece.