ABTTF President: “The rulers of our country should urgently take the necessary steps to protect and improve the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, which are among the fundamental values of the European Union and should take into account the warnings and constructive criticism from the independent institutions and organisations of our country’’.
The Justice Observatory, which operates in Greece, stated in a statement that questioning the judicial system in the country is dangerous for the rule of law.
Pointing out that the judicial system in Greece has recently come under negative scrutiny, especially after the tragic train accident in Tempi, the statement said that public opinion polls show that there is widespread scepticism about the functioning of the judiciary, which is dangerous for the institutional structure of the country.
In the statement, it is noted that the independence of the judiciary is ensured by institutional guarantees that protect the functional and personal independence of judges, and the need for transparency and evaluation of the judicial system in the country stands out as a critical issue in order to improve the quality of justice and regain public confidence.
“The Justice Observatory, an independent organisation operating in Greece, draws attention to the serious issues regarding the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law in our country, which is a warning to the government. After the succession of legal scandals in our country in recent years, citizens have rightly lost faith in the independence of the judiciary. The government uses strategic trials as a means of intimidation for political purposes and disregards the rule of law. For years, prominent members of our community and associations have been subjected to constant pressure and intimidation through strategic lawsuits against them. Likewise, the Court of Cassation, the highest court of our country, ignores the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights and therefore international law regarding the Bekir-Ousta and Others group of cases, which includes three associations of our community, and our country has not executed these aforementioned judgments for the past 17 years. The rulers of our country should urgently take the necessary steps for the protection and development of the independence of the judiciary and the rule of law, which are among the fundamental values of the European Union and should definitely take into account the warnings and constructive criticisms of the independent institutions and organisations of our country’’, said Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF).
