The report also notes that Greece has demonstrated steady and consistent progress across all areas related to institutions and the rule of law since 2020, reducing the Commission’s recommendations from seven to four. This year’s report shows that 10 EU member states received more recommendations than Greece, while five received the same number.

According to a statement from Minister of State Akis Skertsos, who is responsible for coordinating government policy, Greece has once again received a particularly positive overall assessment.

“For the third consecutive year, the Commission has issued only four recommendations to Greece and has found progress on every single recommendation made the previous year,” the statement said.

The government described this as one of the strongest performances in the European Union. Of the 27 member states, 13—including Greece—made progress on all of their recommendations, while the remaining countries had at least one recommendation showing no progress.

Greece received four recommendations, the same number as Austria, Germany, Croatia, Portugal, and Finland.

Recovery Fund reforms

The government also highlighted progress under the EU Recovery and Resilience Facility, noting that Greece has already completed 28 of 39 investment and reform milestones aimed at strengthening the rule of law and expects to complete the remaining 11 milestones during the summer. These include projects such as the new Piraeus courthouse and the rollout of a digital judicial case management system.

Since 2019, the government says Greece has also expanded or established individual, social, and political rights across 368 policy areas, citing measures such as voting rights for Greeks abroad and postal voting.

Areas where progress was recognized

According to the report, Greece has made progress in:

• Establishing a strong track record of investigations and final court judgments in corruption cases through legislation creating a digital registry of corruption cases, expected to become operational on January 1, 2027.
• Improving the lobbying framework, with implementation measures and awareness initiatives currently underway.
• Strengthening legislative and non-legislative safeguards to improve the safety and protection of journalists, particularly regarding abusive lawsuits. Additional measures have been adopted, while anti-SLAPP legislation is in its final stages.
• Developing a structured dialogue with civil society organizations and simplifying registration requirements to maintain an open operating environment.

The report also notes the launch of the process for a constitutional revision, which includes issues such as ministerial accountability, judicial independence, journalist protection, and better lawmaking practices.

Annual monitoring tool

The Commission’s Rule of Law Report is an annual preventive monitoring mechanism assessing developments in the rule of law across all EU member states and four enlargement countries. It evaluates four key areas:

• Justice systems
• Anti-corruption efforts
• Media freedom and pluralism
• Institutional checks and balances

Each year, the report includes recommendations and observations intended to serve as a roadmap for future reforms.

According to the government, Greece views the report not merely as an evaluation mechanism but as an opportunity to identify weaknesses, strengthen institutions, and further reinforce the rule of law as part of the broader effort to build a European Democracy Shield.

Government response

To coordinate implementation, the government has established an interministerial task force led by Minister of State Akis Skertsos, bringing together all relevant ministries to monitor progress throughout the year and align reforms with the government’s broader agenda.

Commenting on the findings, Skertsos said:

“Greece continues to strengthen the rule of law through reforms that enhance transparency, ensure accountability, and reinforce the independence of institutions. For the third consecutive year, the European Commission has recognized our country’s steady progress, confirming improvements across all recommendations issued the previous year.”

He added that forthcoming reforms—including the incorporation of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive into Greek law this summer and the launch of the digital corruption registry in 2027—are expected to further improve Greece’s standing.

“Our commitment to continuously improving every aspect of the rule of law remains unwavering. The pursuit of a stronger and higher-quality democracy never ends. Our goal is for Greece to rank among the world’s top 20 countries by 2030 in transparency, accountability, and the fight against corruption.”

Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis also welcomed the findings, saying the report confirms that Greece continues to make steady progress, particularly in the area of media freedom.

He said the improvements are the result of a coherent reform agenda rather than communication efforts, highlighting measures to strengthen transparency, improve the institutional framework for the media, and better protect journalists.

Regarding abusive lawsuits (SLAPPs), Marinakis noted that the Ministry of Justice has already launched a public consultation on legislation implementing the relevant EU directive into Greek law.

“No report means that the effort is complete,” he said. “Our government treats these observations not defensively, but as a guide for the next wave of reforms.”