Judicial system dysfunctional, reports find

A series of reports have indicated that Greece’s justice system is seriously dysfunctional due to a lack of technological support enjoyed by equivalent systems in other European countries and a huge backlog of cases burdening the dispensation of justice.

According to the annual Justice Scoreboard report by the European Commission, Greece’s justice system is “suffering” due to the inadequate use of information and communication technologies.

Another report by the Hellenic Federation of Enterprises (SEV), found that delays in the dispensation of justice cost taxpayers some 235 million euros.

These delays, the EC report found, are responsible for worsening the business environment in Greece and discouraging potential investments.

The fear of potentially becoming embroiled in legal wrangles that could take years to resolve is a key disincentive for would-be foreign investors, according to another report issued by the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce this summer.

According to SEV, as much as 800,000 “man-days of work” are “wasted” in Greek courtrooms every year.