Taking things too far
This paper has repeatedly voiced its support for judicial independence and for the adequate remuneration of the country’s judges and prosecutors.
The tsunami of across-the-board salary and pension cuts that have been introduced by the government include major reductions in judges’ and prosecutors’ salaries, a loss of income that has provoked a good deal of justified anger from their ranks.
A civilized country’s judicial system, however, cannot allow its actions to be dictated by vested interests and based on ideological criteria.
Ongoing strike action and manifestos penned by certain members of the judiciary show that there is a very real risk that the decisions taken in the near future will not be based on the constitution and the rule of law, but on some other, more nebulous criteria.
There is no doubt that the vast majority of Greek judges will carry out their duties professionally and in a very dedicated manner.
But extreme and populist behavior should be avoided at all cost as it can do a great deal of damage to one of the country’s most fundamental institutions.
