Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited the newly built “House of the Child” in Thessaloniki at noon, where he was informed about the services provided to children and adolescents who have been exposed to traumatic experiences, such as abuse and domestic violence.

The Prime Minister toured the premises of the centre and spoke with the psychologists and juvenile probation officers working at the centre. He had the opportunity to learn about how the forensic examination of juvenile victims and juvenile witnesses of abuse is conducted in a child-friendly environment by specialized and appropriately trained scientists based on a specific and specially structured protocol.

“On the one hand you are managing such tragic incidents, on the other hand, it is comforting that the state can, with the support of agencies that have extensive experience in this field, now provide children with a framework of protection. So that this so difficult – because I imagine it is very traumatic – experience for the child, that he or she should talk about these incidents, do it once and then this testimony is used as evidence for the justice system to deal with,”
the Prime Minister pointed out.

“But, of course, you know better that it is only the beginning of the process. This is a long journey, which is not always easy. That’s why providing support at all steps, especially if we are also discussing cases of removal from the family environment, is very difficult cases. We will always be surprised by the extent of human drama, but we must be here to be able to provide for the toughest cases,” Kyriakos Mitsotakis added.

The forensic examination, which is watched by the pre-trial, investigative, and police authorities from a specially designed room, is recorded visually and audio-visually and is used during the trial of the case, without the presence of the child being required. In this way, the re-victimization of the minor victim is prevented, while their families are also supported.

The “House of the Child” in Thessaloniki, the third in Greece after Athens and Piraeus, which are co-located, was established in December 2024 in its new and fully equipped premises, with the first forensic examinations taking place in January 2025. The equipment was implemented under the Memorandum of Cooperation between the Ministry of Justice and the Association “ELIZA“, following a donation from the Angelikousis Foundation.

The Prime Minister was accompanied by Justice Minister George Florides and Deputy Minister Ioannis Bougas.

Mitsotakis at CHANTH: It will always be an important part of my life

The Prime Minister then visited the premises of the Christian Youth Brotherhood of Thessaloniki, where he was welcomed by President Ioannis Sossidis, the General Director Vassilis Ioannou, as well as members of the association.

The Kyriakos Mitsotakis toured the administrative and sports areas and the room where the historical archive of the Association is kept and had the opportunity to talk to the staff and be informed about the actions. During the visit, Kyriakos Mitsotakis had the opportunity to meet with the team with whom they had visited the USA in 1982.

Finally, the Prime Minister also visited the club’s sports museum, where he signed the visitors’ book: “A special emotional visit. XANTH will always be an important part of my life. Thank you for everything you do.”