European prosecutors’ terms renewed, averting legal clash

[EPPO]

Greece defused a months-long standoff with the European Public Prosecutor’s Office connected Monday aft its Supreme Judicial Council approved the continued assignment of three prosecutors handling delicate EU fraud investigations, including the OPEKEPE case.

The assembly unanimously backed the renewal of the mandates of Popi Papandreou, Chariklia Thanou and Dionysis Mouzakis, citing the request for continuity successful ongoing investigations.

Nine candidates were interviewed earlier the determination was reached. The renewal was granted for two years alternatively than the standard five, based connected an ambiguity successful Law 4786/2021, which does not intelligibly specify the duration of a renewed mandate.

Tensions had escalated aft European Chief Prosecutor Laura Kovesi warned that a rejection by Greece could beryllium referred to the European Court of Justice, describing the renewal process arsenic a regular “administrative step.”

Three further authoritative positions are expected to beryllium filled soon, bringing Greece’s total fig of European delegated prosecutors to 13.