Judges, prosecutors brace for a heavy season of trials

Judges and prosecutors are to return to work in the coming days with a mountain of cases, many that have dragged on for months – if not years – to push through the slow Greek court system.

After elections to appoint new judges and prosecutors this coming Saturday, courts are expected to get back to work in earnest.

Among the cases that have been subject to delays are the embezzlement scandal involving energy suppliers Hellas Power and Energa, the Vatopedi land swap affair and a series of cases relating to state defense procurements. Also in progress are the Proton Bank trial, another embezzlement affair and trials relating to state funding of non-governmental organizations, inflated expenditures at state hospitals and other graft scandals. One of the new cases expected to come to trial soon is the Hellenic PostBank embezzlement affair.

There are hopes that the trial of Golden Dawn, which started a year-and-a-half ago, will put politicians on the stand soon.