The Athens Bar Association is preparing to take the wiretapping case to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, possibly escalating a legal battle seen as a test for the rule of law in Greece.
The move was outlined during a press conference, where constitutional law scholar Nikos Alivizatos — who also represents PASOK leader Nikos Androulakis in a related appeal already filed with the court — said the legal pathway for such action is now open. Androulakis turned to the European Court after being vindicated by Greece’s top administrative court, according to media reports this month.
The press conference followed the Bar Association’s recent decision – taken in a split decision by its board members – to demand the resignation of the top Supreme Court prosecutor over his ruling to keep the wiretapping case closed, despite a lower court’s call for further investigation into additional offenses and the involvement of more individuals.
Speakers at the event warned that judicial decisions in the case risk undermining democratic institutions and stressed the danger that key offenses could lapse due to statutes of limitation, complicating efforts to fully investigate the scandal.
Athens Bar Association President Andreas Koutsoulambros said the board unanimously supports deeper scrutiny of the case, arguing that the lower court’s ruling made a full and transparent investigation “imperative.” He criticized the Supreme Court prosecutor’s decision to shelve the case, saying it runs counter to criminal law principles, the rule of law and established case law of the European Court of Human Rights.
