The trial over the “missing” commercial train videos may be heading for a dead end. The courtroom was literally in chaos today with Zoe Konstantopoulou shouting and lashing out at the president of the Larissa Single Municipal Court.

“The trial can not continue like this, all these months I have received infinite insults, I will submit a statement of absence,” said the president of the court, obviously charged with Zoe Konstantopoulou responding: “Shame, we will wait for the council to rule on your abstention application….”.

At the moment, the court has adjourned and it remains to be decided on the president’s abstention statement from the judicial council. If the declaration is accepted, then a new chairman will have to be appointed, which means the trial will start all over again.

The straw that broke the camel’s back was what Ms Konstantopoulou said to the court president when the court resumed sitting after a recess.

On entering the courtroom, Ms Konstantopoulou told the president: “We understand that you were at the recess in the office of Ms Mylon’s supervisor. You went to her office three times and gave an account of what was going on in the trial to a person under oath. I asked you, and you told me that you went to get the keys of the evidence (…) This is a paralegal function of the court; it is no business of the president to confer with sworn persons. Tell us why you went to Mrs. Mylon’s office, enough of your fainting and mockery …”

Chairman: I did go to receive the key, all the buts you say lack foundation. We adjourned for an hour because it was a procedural matter. I didn’t take any pressure from anybody.

Konstantopoulou: Are you telling us that the keys to the exhibits are held by Mrs. Mylon? Who gave them to her?
(….)
Chairman: Under these circumstances the trial cannot take place …

Konstantopoulou: Why can’t it be? Because of the pressures you are under?
Because of the pressures you are being subjected to?

President. At this point, the court is adjourned. I will abstain, I have taken a lot of abuse…

I’m going to suspend the proceedings.
After this statement, the court adjourned with the chairperson coming down from the bench visibly agitated.

It is yet to be known when the president’s application to recuse herself from the court will be decided. At the moment, however, the hearing is “frozen”.

Finally, it should be noted that the copying of some of the exhibits has already begun in order to make them available to the lawyers, while the decision of the competent council on the president’s declaration of withdrawal is awaited.