A new chapter opens today in the standoff between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) and Greek judicial authorities, as the Administrative Plenary of the Hellenic Supreme Court convenes to hear the appeal filed by EPPO Chief Laura Kovesi over the length of the mandate renewal granted to three Greek Delegated European Prosecutors.
The dispute cuts to the heart of the jurisdictional boundaries between national judicial authorities and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, and could well escalate to the European level if no resolution is reached domestically.
Why Laura Kovesi is demanding a five-year mandate renewal for Greek Delegated European Prosecutors
The appeal was filed following a decision by the Supreme Judicial Council to renew the mandates of three Greek Delegated European Prosecutors — Popi Papandreou, Charikleia Thanou, and Dionysis Mouzakis — for two years rather than five.
The EPPO’s position is that the College of European Prosecutors had already approved a five-year renewal, and that this duration is consistent with the European institutional framework. On these grounds, Kovesi requested that the Administrative Plenary of the Supreme Court reconsider the decision.
The procedural hurdles standing in the way of Kovesi’s appeal
Judicial sources, however, warn that the appeal may face significant procedural obstacles. According to the same sources, there is no specific legal remedy provided under Greek law against this type of Supreme Judicial Council decision — a fact that places the outcome of the EPPO Chief’s request in serious doubt.
Nevertheless, the move by the European Public Prosecutor’s Office is being interpreted as an effort to exhaust every available institutional avenue in Greece before potentially taking the dispute to a European judicial body for a definitive resolution.
New Delegated European Prosecutors to be appointed in Greece
At the same time, the Supreme Judicial Council is moving to strengthen the Greek branch of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office, with proceedings underway to select three new Delegated European Prosecutors — one appellate judge and two first-instance judges. This process is considered especially significant for the EPPO’s operations in Greece, as Delegated Prosecutors handle cases involving the protection of the European Union’s financial interests, including investigations into EU funding fraud and other serious financial offenses.
A case that could trigger a European judicial showdown
Today’s hearing before the Plenary of the Supreme Court is being watched closely, as its outcome will serve as a key indicator of the state of relations between the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and Greek judicial institutions. Should the appeal be rejected, the dispute could well move to the European level — extending what has already become one of the most sensitive institutional conflicts in the justice sector in recent months.
