Justice Minister Stavros Kontonis once again outlined the reasons for his decision to send a letter to the leadership of Greece’s Supreme Court over the 17-month delay in the engrossment – the legal term for producing a ‘clean copy’ – of a court decision in the “Noor1′ drug ship case, while talking to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency’s radio station ‘Praktoreio 104.9 FM’ on Friday.
“These are not things that we can tolerate, nor can they be justified,” he said, explaining his letters to the Supreme Court president and chief prosecutor. “I do not consider that the delay in the engrossment falls within the normal range. I consider that it is utterly problematic. Everyone involved in this case and the reasons for this delay must be checked… it is not only curious, it is unprecedented that for 17 months the court ruling in such a crucial issue has not been engrossed,” Kontonis said.
He pointed out that several of the defendants in this very serious case had been given suspended sentences and unless the engrossment was completed their appeals trial could not take place.
The minister denied that his intervention in the case amounted to a “clash” between the government and justice, noting that he had adhered to the letter of the law in asking that certain parties be investigated for being lax in the execution of their duties.
If there was some reason or justification for the delay, he noted, those involved could present it at the disciplinary hearing, which will operate within the framework of independent and self-regulating justice. “There is no clash when the law is upheld and here the law is being upheld to the letter, since the minister of justice has sent a document to the heads of the Supreme Court to investigate what has occurred in this case,” Kontonis added.
Nine people were sentenced by a Piraeus criminal court in early August 2016, five of them to life imprisonment, for attempting to smuggle two tonnes of heroin into Greece on the cargo freighter “Noor 1” in 2014. Four received suspended sentences and were released pending appeal.
The minister was also answered questions about imprisoned terrorists Christodoulos Xiros and Dimitris Koufodinas, rejecting complaints by the former as “groundless” and noting that the prison furlough requested by the latter was a matter for judicidial authorities.
Questioned about the FYROM name dispute and the start of negotiations to resolve the issue, Kontonis noted that it was a problem that had lasted 25 years and said that “the time has come to solve it.”
On the protest rallies planned in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki over this issue, the minister remarked that the rallies in previous years had “contributed to leading us to a political impasse on the specific issue.” Greece had wasted “massive diplomatic capital” on the specific issue, he added, without getting the corresponding results.
“I consider that the government is responsibly negotiating at this time in order to find a solution and that the voice of reason and wisdom must prevail…extremist views, that are being broadcast by specific circles at this time, do not contribute, I think, to what we will finally achieve,” Kontonis said.
“These are not things that we can tolerate, nor can they be justified,” he said, explaining his letters to the Supreme Court president and chief prosecutor. “I do not consider that the delay in the engrossment falls within the normal range. I consider that it is utterly problematic. Everyone involved in this case and the reasons for this delay must be checked… it is not only curious, it is unprecedented that for 17 months the court ruling in such a crucial issue has not been engrossed,” Kontonis said.
He pointed out that several of the defendants in this very serious case had been given suspended sentences and unless the engrossment was completed their appeals trial could not take place.
The minister denied that his intervention in the case amounted to a “clash” between the government and justice, noting that he had adhered to the letter of the law in asking that certain parties be investigated for being lax in the execution of their duties.
If there was some reason or justification for the delay, he noted, those involved could present it at the disciplinary hearing, which will operate within the framework of independent and self-regulating justice. “There is no clash when the law is upheld and here the law is being upheld to the letter, since the minister of justice has sent a document to the heads of the Supreme Court to investigate what has occurred in this case,” Kontonis added.
Nine people were sentenced by a Piraeus criminal court in early August 2016, five of them to life imprisonment, for attempting to smuggle two tonnes of heroin into Greece on the cargo freighter “Noor 1” in 2014. Four received suspended sentences and were released pending appeal.
The minister was also answered questions about imprisoned terrorists Christodoulos Xiros and Dimitris Koufodinas, rejecting complaints by the former as “groundless” and noting that the prison furlough requested by the latter was a matter for judicidial authorities.
Questioned about the FYROM name dispute and the start of negotiations to resolve the issue, Kontonis noted that it was a problem that had lasted 25 years and said that “the time has come to solve it.”
On the protest rallies planned in the northern Greek city of Thessaloniki over this issue, the minister remarked that the rallies in previous years had “contributed to leading us to a political impasse on the specific issue.” Greece had wasted “massive diplomatic capital” on the specific issue, he added, without getting the corresponding results.
“I consider that the government is responsibly negotiating at this time in order to find a solution and that the voice of reason and wisdom must prevail…extremist views, that are being broadcast by specific circles at this time, do not contribute, I think, to what we will finally achieve,” Kontonis said.