The Justice Minister, Giorgos Floridis, provided clarifications today regarding yesterday’s incidents in Larissa during the Tempi trial proceedings. Speaking to ANT1, he acknowledged that the courtroom scene was unsatisfactory, despite what he described as having the “necessary infrastructure.” He explained that these trials involve judges, defendants, and lawyers, while the courtroom provides 312 to 330 seats on the first level. The planning, he said, was based on the number of lawyers who had declared participation, totaling 250, although initially there were 130.
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He noted that 280 seats had been allocated for lawyers and, since 250 were covered, there was capacity to accommodate relatives on the upper level, while approximately 140 people could sit on the lower level. He also emphasized that “larger trials” have been conducted in the past.
Floridis on the Tempi trial: “The scene wasn’t good despite having the infrastructure”
“Indeed the scene wasn’t good despite having the infrastructure. In these trials there are judges, defendants, and lawyers. In this courtroom, on the first level which has 312 seats, possibly 330, the calculation was made based on the number of lawyers who had declared representation, which was 250 while they started from 130. It provided 280 seats for lawyers. To the extent that the lawyers were 250, relatives could have been accommodated in the upper section. And 140 in the lower section. Larger trials than this one have been conducted.
Two things happened. Based on the trial’s needs, what should have happened was for the judges to occupy the bench, the defendants their seats, and then the lawyers their own seats. And after these are arranged, the others who are related to the trial are also accommodated.
I spoke with the president of the bar associations’ plenary. In the lawyers’ seats, people who weren’t lawyers entered and sat. We’re talking about a trial, not some other type of event. We didn’t have the proper entry of participants into the courtroom, resulting in people who weren’t lawyers entering, and almost 100 lawyers didn’t have seats to sit. The relatives have the capacity of witness, plaintiff. First, all those who have institutional capacity are accommodated, and then everyone else.
This issue wasn’t attended to by those having the responsibility.
If we start from the data and the space’s capacity, it has the ability for over 450 seats. It’s the most in the country. It’s the largest courtroom in the country or equal to the largest. In Athens, a larger trial has been held. Why couldn’t it be held there?
Say there’s a question of transferring it. Meaning we go to a smaller one? The overwhelming majority of relatives are from Thessaly. Will they come to live in Athens?” said Mr. Floridis.
Floridis: “If someone finds me a larger courtroom in Europe, let them come tell me”
The minister concluded by saying: “The lower courtroom where they watch with screens is a room for 140 people with better acoustics than inside the courtroom. If the issue is for someone to follow what’s happening, this is solved. If someone finds me a larger courtroom in Europe than this one, let them come tell me. In The Hague the seats are 250. And in the European Court of Justice 300.
In another parallel trial that’s taking place, Mrs. Konstantopoulou is bullying. She videotaped a judge and it’s a felony. Mrs. Konstantopoulou doesn’t want the trial to take place and is profiteering politically.
The Greek State constructed there the largest space that Greece has available to conduct the trial.”
Regarding what was heard about lights flickering: “Some of these people were going and turning down the switches, we’ll see if the Police can locate them.”
