The President of the European Court of Human Rights, Mattias Guyomar, addressing the Justice Minister Giorgos Florides at the Court’s headquarters in Strasbourg, said that “Greece’s unwavering stance in favour of the Court, legality and international law is considered extremely important.”

In particular, Mr Florides met today with Mr Guyomar, the Court’s Secretary General Mariolena Tsirlis, and National Judge Ioannis Ktistakis at the seat of the ECtHR.

The President of the European Court of Human Rights warmly thanked Mr Florides and the Greek Government for their firm and clear support for the ECHR and the system of the European Convention on Human Rights.

He also praised the contribution and highlighted the high level of the national judge and the excellent cooperation with the Greek Permanent Representation to the Council of Europe.

“At the present juncture,” Guyomar explained, “where there is a clear democratic regression and a rise of populism in Europe, Greece’s unwavering stance in favour of the Court, legitimacy and international law is considered to be of utmost importance.”

For his part, the Minister of Justice assured the President of the European Court of Human Rights that “Greece, despite the challenges it faces in a particularly complex and demanding geopolitical environment, will continue its unwavering commitment to international law in support of the independence and integrity of the Court. This is the Prime Minister’s firm position.”

At the same time, Mr Florides and Mr Guyomar discussed further supportive measures and initiatives that the Ministry of Justice intends to undertake in the context of the enforcement of the Court’s judgments by providing national judges with fuller information on the case law of the ECtHR.

Present during the meeting, according to an announcement by the Ministry of Justice, were the permanent representative of Greece to the Council of Europe, Ambassador Nicolas Sigalas, the deputy permanent representative of Greece to the Council of Europe, Gerasimos Dondas, the director general of special legal issues of the Ministry of Justice, Eftichia Katsigaraki, and the director of the Ministry of Justice, Ioanna Karyophylli.

.