Majority in Greece do not believe judiciary is independent, EU justice scoreboard finds
The annual report, issued by the European Commission, provides comparative data on the efficiency, quality, and independence of judicial systems across EU member states. It is a key component of the EU’s broader Rule of Law monitoring framework.
According to the findings, Greece ranks among the lowest-performing EU member states in terms of perceived judicial independence and the length of court proceedings. The report also highlights public confidence in the judiciary as a persistent concern.
Survey data included in the scoreboard shows that 57% of Greek citizens believe that courts and judges are not independent. Nearly half of respondents also stated that government and political actors interfere in judicial decision-making.
The findings place Greece among the countries where trust in the justice system remains significantly below the EU average.
Commenting on the report, Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the European Western Thrace Turkish Federation (European Western Thrace Turkish Federation), said the data confirms long-standing structural problems in the country’s justice system.
He stated that the scoreboard clearly demonstrates delays in judicial proceedings and widespread public concern regarding political influence over the judiciary. He also argued that recent legal controversies and perceived governmental interference have further weakened public trust.
Habip Oğlu further claimed that the Turkish minority in Western Thrace has been directly affected by systemic issues in the rule of law, citing unresolved European Court of Human Rights rulings related to association cases, including the Bekir Usta and Others group of cases. He said these rulings have remained unimplemented for 18 years.
The report is based on data collected by the European Commission (European Commission), which monitors rule of law standards across member states as part of its annual assessments.
The 2026 findings are expected to feed into the upcoming Rule of Law Report, which will further evaluate judicial independence and institutional trust across the European Union.
