Power and the law
A ruling by the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court, stipulating that the actions of Alternate Health Minister Pavlos Polakis, which led to the compulsory resignation of three board members of the Hellenic Center for Disease Control and Prevention, known as KEELPNO, were unconstitutional and unlawful should greatly trouble the current SYRIZA-Independent Greeks administration.
It is necessary for the government to realize that a country’s executive powers are obliged to respect its institutions and legislation.
When it comes to democracies, the law is not reduced to the will of ministers, especially when the latter infringes on citizens’ legal rights.
It can only be hoped that the Council of State ruling will serve as a lesson to all of those who believe they have the power to act above and beyond the law.
