Former and current Greek Police officials to stand trial for misconduct in TV host protection case
Former senior officials of the Greek Police (ELAS) and current officers are set to stand trial for dereliction of duty related to the unwarranted and excessive police protection provided to journalist, TV show host, and model agent Menios Fourthiotis, who has a history of legal troubles, Kathimerini has learned.
According to sources, a total of 17 former and current officers have been recently arraigned and will be tried in the Athens Three-Member Misdemeanor Court for repeated dereliction of duty and moral complicity in misconduct. This group includes former ELAS chief Michalis Karamalakis, two retired lieutenant generals, and members of the Greek Police headquarters (GADA) committee who approved the request for Fourthiotis’ police protection between 2020 and 2021.
Prior to their indictment, a thorough preliminary investigation by the Internal Affairs Service of ELAS was conducted, during which the accused provided written explanations in their capacity as suspects. The investigating prosecutor’s document instructed the service, often referred to as the “untouchables,” to advance the preliminary investigation. It requested that they “take depositions without oath regarding the aforementioned offense of dereliction of duty, as [the suspects] intentionally violated their service duties to unlawfully benefit a third party.”
The prosecutor also noted that, despite the lack of justification, ELAS had provided Fourthiotis with four police officers, two escort vehicles (a motorcycle and a car), and 24-hour surveillance of his residence from November 2020 to March 2021.
Documents seen by the newspaper reveal that the prosecutor accused the ELAS officials of maintaining this protection despite reports from the officers in the guard that they were being coerced into breaching their duties.
The investigation was reportedly triggered by a complaint filed with the National Transparency Authority.
On March 31, 2021, following the publicization of the case, Civic Protection Minister Michalis Chrysochoidis intervened, instructing then-ELAS chief Karamalakis to immediately withdraw the police from both Fourthiotis’ residence and his escort.
Reports from that period suggested that the decision to provide police protection had been made by an official from the ministry and that the GADA committee’s positive recommendation was given under higher-level instructions.
