Any Legislative Reform Should Overcome Several Problems

* The present artcle has been published in the May-June 2017 issue of the American-Hellenic Chamber of Commerce Business Partners Magazine

In recent years we have found ourselves amid many attempts of the Greek state to adopt a more “tidy” approach regarding the sector of justice. However, these attempts did not produce the expected outcomes. The reason for this failure is due to several facts.

More specifically, a universal reformation of Greek legislation is required. Any attempt of the Greek state to amend legislation regarding one specific issue will, by default, have adverse implications on and interactions with other pieces of legislation. The fact that legislation is changing rapidly in our country – especially with the issuance of several Ministerial Decrees – leads to certain unpredictability.

Additionally, the current technical infrastructure should be updated. It is self evident that we may not discuss the issue of legislative reform without the introduction and use of new technology, especially in many courts and public authorities far from main, urban centers.

Other facts include the number of overloaded judges and civil servants—and their continuing professional development, that should be promoted. Even the role of lawyers should be re-defined (and who should avoid advising parties from their first meeting to proceed to court proceedings).

Last, but not least, citizens should be better educated from their school years by having the opportunity to learn their fundamental rights and obligations. In this way education may assist in legislative reform, even at the stage of identifying the issues that require an amendment.

Any legislative reform should lead society, and not just follow its pace…