Justice Minister Haralambos Athanassiou on Tuesday commented on an opinion issued by the State Legal Council allowing tax raids on private homes without the presence of a judicial representative, noting that “the admissibility of a house search conducted by tax agents will be judged in the context of the Constitution clauses” that guarantee the home is inviolable as a person’s shelter.

“Whether a house search by tax agents is admissible will be studied and judged in the context of article 9 of the Constitution guaranteeing that the home is a sanctuary and any search in it can only be conducted in the presence of representatives of the judicial power. The same guarantee is included in article 8 paragraph 1 of the European Convention on Human Rights,” Athanassiou stated. The Convention’s relevant article states, “Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.”

On Monday evening, the Finance ministry announced that the State Legal Council’s opinion “has been forwarded to the Supreme Court [Areios Pagos] plenary for a decision because of its significance”.