The Greek Parliament approved the Justice Ministry’s bill with the votes of the ruling New Democracy party, incorporating the EU’s 2024/1069 Directive on Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation (SLAPPs) into Greek law.
Under the directive, SLAPPs are lawsuits that are not intended only to win a legal case, but may also be used to intimidate, place a financial burden on, or discourage journalists, citizens, activists and organisations from taking part in public debate.
The new law allows courts to dismiss a lawsuit at an early stage if it is found to be manifestly unfounded. The aim is to avoid lengthy and costly court proceedings in cases that appear to be abusive from the outset.
SLAPPs are lawsuits intended to intimidate and financially drain journalists and citizens who speak out on matters of public interest.
However, opposition parties and some legal experts argue that the bill does not provide sufficient protection for defendants. One of their main concerns is that it does not clearly define what constitutes a “manifestly unfounded” lawsuit, leaving room for different interpretations by the courts.
They have also criticised the 30-day deadline for defendants to apply for early dismissal, saying it is too short to prepare a complex case. They further point out that the new safeguards do not clearly apply to lawsuits that are already pending, raising concerns about different treatment for existing and future cases.
Another concern is that the claimant’s obligation to prove the merits of the lawsuit appears to apply mainly during the early dismissal stage rather than throughout the entire proceedings. Legal experts have also questioned the exclusion of cases involving the liability of public authorities for actions or omissions carried out in the exercise of state powers, warning that it could limit protection in cases involving public criticism of government bodies or public agencies.
Sources: Athens-Macedonian News Agency (AMNA), Ef.Syn.
What is fyi.news?
