“Panos Routsi started a hunger strike without even submitting a request”
Clarifications on the amendment concerning the Monument to the Unknown Soldier were given on the morning of Tuesday 21/10 during an interview by the Minister of Justice, Giorgos Floridis, who announced that this was a move to protect himself.
Speaking to ERTnews and Costas Papachliminzos and Katerina Doukas, George Floridis described the government initiative as “primarily unifying”, noting that its goal is “to protect the supreme monument of our nation, where the national memory and struggles of the Greek people are honored”. As he said, “there we pay respects to our dead and there can be no division around such a point.”
Focusing on the reactions of the opposition parties, the minister expressed surprise at the fact that SYRIZA and PASOK do not intend to vote for the amendment. “The national monument cannot be divided. It is a sacred space and is not suitable for political and social protests. There are other places, a few meters away, such as Syntagma Square,” he said characteristically.
Responding to complaints that the regulation restricts the right to assembly, he emphasized that “no one forbids assembly — it’s just that the nation has an obligation to protect the memory of its struggles.”
When asked why the government is now proceeding with the passing of the measure, Mr. Floridis replied that “some things mature over time”, adding that the decision is not connected to the recent hunger strike of the father of the Tempo victim, Panos Routsi.
For Justice and for the case of Panos Routsi
The minister made a special reference to the attitude of the Justice in the Rucci case, arguing that “the Justice was faced with a blackmail, as it started an extreme protest without any previous request.” According to him, “those who instigated the hunger strike tried to blackmail the Justice to reopen the investigation”, naming Mrs. Zoe Konstantopoulou.
“Panos Routsi started a hunger strike without even submitting a request” he added.
“The Justice tried to find a solution without violating the process — it satisfied the man’s request and brought the case to the trial on March 23,” he explained.
For citizens’ trust in Justice
Asked about the findings of polls that show low rates of citizens’ trust in the Justice Department, Mr. Floridis attributed this image to “systematic undermining that was organized in the last two and a half years around the Tempe tragedy.”
As he said, “the world was led to believe a huge lie, that there was illegal cargo that exploded and caused the death of passengers. This conspiracy, which proved to be false, struck the Justice.”
According to the minister, “the interrogation was exemplary and the case is being brought to trial in a time unprecedented for European standards”.
The Minister of Justice, Giorgos Floridis, responding regarding the trial of the Tempe accident, stated that the choice of Larissa and the specific site was forced and organized early on, so that the trial could be conducted without delays.
“Such a place doesn’t even exist in Athens. We started from scratch, in collaboration with the Region of Thessaly, the judicial authorities and the police. The building was renovated and fully equipped, with a modern electronic system,” the minister emphasized.
As he explained, in the main room will be the judges, the accused and about 200-250 lawyers, while on the side areas have been planned for the public, journalists, the police and the conference of the judges.
No political figures in the dock
Regarding the absence of political figures from the list of accused, Mr. Floridis clarified that this is foreseen by the Constitution. “Politicians are examined by the Parliament and, if an impeachment occurs, they are tried by the Supreme Special Court. They cannot be tried by the usual procedure,” he explained, adding that if they are indicted, there will be a separate trial for former transport minister Kostas Karamanlis and deputy minister Christos Triandopoulos.
The exhumation of victims is pending
When asked about the exhumation of the victims of the tragedy, the minister stated that the relevant procedures have not progressed, as “requests by the interested parties, such as Mrs. Konstantopoulou, for the appointment of a technical consultant are pending”.
“The speed of justice delivery is improving — The goal is to clear all cases by 2026”
According to Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis, the effort to speed up the administration of justice in the country is making significant progress, with the changes that are already being implemented in the courts and will culminate in 2026. Speaking on a television show, the minister emphasized that “Greece is gradually winning the bet of the fastest administration of justice”, pointing out that the first positive signs are already visible.
“It is being won,” he said characteristically, explaining that the unification of the first degree of jurisdiction and the abolition of the magistrates’ courts “freed up about a thousand judges, who now strengthen the courts of first instance.” As he reported, the Court of First Instance of Athens doubled the number of serving judges — from 400 to 745 — while the output “now exceeds the new cases that come in.”
The minister pointed out that within this year’s judicial year, approximately 15,000 pending cases from previous years are expected to be settled. The goal, as he said, is that from January 1, 2026, cases will be determined within six months, instead of four years as was the case until now.
He also made special reference to the reform for the publication of wills, which from November 1 will be done by notaries. As he said, “a process that currently takes 400 days will be completed in 3 to 7 days”, at no additional cost to citizens. This “frees up around 100 judges” and an equal number of court officials to strengthen other areas.
Mr. Floridis noted that similar reforms, such as the transfer of pre-notification and union cases to lawyers, “unburden the judicial system and allow judges to focus on the essentials.”
For political news
Answering a question about his political intentions ahead of the elections, the minister clarified: “I have not had any discussions with anyone. I was called to join a government to make changes that will stay in place. I don’t care about the rest. I’ve had enough of them”, clarifying that he will not be a candidate in the next parliamentary elections.
In closing, regarding the political processes in the Center-Left, Mr. Floridis limited himself to stating that “whatever is in the making will probably bring reshuffles, but it is too early for assessments”, while he assured that the government is not worried about new parties: “The government is judged by its relations with the people and the problems it solves. That’s the point.”