The judge handling the motions for a temporary restraining order between the reluctant couple, Kefalogianni and Matsas, seems to have chosen a “middle ground” approach when deciding on the temporary custody arrangement for their two minor children.
As legal circles commented, the judge with a weighted decision issued today allows Olga Kefalogianni to remain together with her two minor children at the former marital residence in Psychiko and to have exclusive custody of them as far as their place of residence is concerned. In other words, in simple words, at this stage, the Minister of Tourism managed to keep her children at home with her and have her exclusive use of the house. Instead, their father is obliged to leave his former family home of Psychiko within three days, as his estranged wife requested.
But on a second reading of the decision issued today, Minos Matsas is not the big “loser” in the case. This is because, with this decision, the composer managed to ensure regular communication with his children three times a week and every second weekend, as well as co-determination about the major issue of their upbringing. That is, he was given the right at this stage to have a say in matters concerning the children’s schools, their health, etc. Something that he had allegedly advocated in his application, citing the law on co-parenting and the interests of his children, in whose lives, as he allegedly said in the closed trial, he should also have a say. The court granted this request, as it ruled that the two parents would decide jointly on matters of child-rearing.
It is worth noting here that in her application for a temporary injunction, Mrs Kefalogiannis was reportedly seeking exclusive custody of the children, which she did not win outright, since, according to the ruling, her reluctant husband will also have a say in child-rearing issues. In addition, according to the judgment, Minos Matsas will be able to see his children three times a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5 to 8 p.m.) as well as every other weekend, so that the minor children will be able to stay with him. He will also have personal contact with his children on certain holidays and summer vacation days, meaning that he will be able to have them with him on certain days that the court has designated. Conversely, for the periods when he will not see the children, that is to say, he will not have personal contact with them, he will be able to talk to them either by telephone or online for half an hour each day at a time to be agreed with his estranged wife. The same applies to Olga Kefalogianni when the composer exercises his right of personal communication with the children. That is, the former minister will be able to talk to her children when they are with Minos Matsas either by phone or online for half an hour every day at a time that she has co-decided with the composer.
On the contrary, the Minister of Tourism came out of the decision as a complete winner in terms of requesting her stay at the family’s house in Psychiko. The judge granted that part of her request in which she asked the composer to leave the former family home. Thus, the judgment rejected Minos Matsa’s contrary request for the Minister for Tourism to move from the family home in Psychiko to her father’s house. According to the decision, the Minister of Tourism and her two children will remain exclusively in the former marital home.
All of this, of course, is of a temporary nature and is in effect until the injunction applications filed by the former couple on the issue of custody of their children are heard. The hearing date for the injunction is reportedly set for February 2025.
