Former Central Macedonia governor sentenced to 8 years prison

Former Central Macedonia governor Panagiotis Psomiadis has been handed an eight-year prison sentence—suspended pending appeal—on charges of breach of trust and false certification connected to fictitious projects carried out during his tenure at the regional authority.

The case concerns the hiring of 81 individuals between 2007 and 2010 under project-specific contracts, who were then reassigned to unrelated services. The misuse of these contracts is estimated to have caused a financial loss of roughly €1.3 million.

Psomiadis, 78, a former New Democracy lawmaker and regional governor, received leniency due to good behavior and will serve the sentence under house arrest because of his age. The execution of the sentence is suspended until the appeal hearing, allowing him to remain free for now.

He has denied any wrongdoing, insisting that no personal gain was involved and that staff were reassigned solely to cover administrative needs.

His brother, Dionysis Psomiadis, is also facing prosecution in connection with the case. Authorities have ordered a medical assessment to determine whether he is fit to stand trial.