The response of the EC to NGOs and independent media on the state of the Rule of Law in Greece

rule_of_law_in_Greece
Αυτή η σελίδα δεν είναι μεταφρασμένη προς το παρόν.

On 27/04/2022, on the initiative of Vouliwatch, Inter Alia and 10 other organisations and independent media co-signed a letter to the Vice-President of the EC, Commissioner for Values and Transparency, Mrs. Vera Jourova and to the members of the LIBE Committee of the European Parliament. The letter expressed concerns about the downward trend of the Greek state regarding the Rule of Law.

In her response, Anna Gallego Torres, Director-General of the DG Justice and Consumers is rather mild and neutral. Some points in her answer, however, are interesting:

  • The Commission focuses on the issue of pushbacks, expressing concerns about human lives lost in the Aegean sea stating that: “The Commission remains concerned by the reports of interceptions and disappearances at the borders of Greece.”
  • On the issue of NGOs’ register, the EC states that: “the Commission will continue to monitor the implementation of the directive and verify the compliance of national legislation with the EU legal framework, as it is concerned about the pressure they are under today NGOs across the Union.”
  • The Commission appears willing to examine and take measures to protect whistle-blowers: “The Commission has initiated infringement proceedings against Greece in January 2022 due to Greece’s non-notification of the transfer of directive. Following the expiry of the deadline for replying to this letter of formal notice, the Commission is currently considering further measures to be taken to ensure the transposition and implementation of this Directive”.

You may read the full response here

You may find the initial letter of Vouliwatch here