ECHR once again convicts Greece

The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has once again found Greece in violation for the unjustified delay in implementing domestic court decisions. The Court ruled that the Greek authorities’ failure to enforce a 2014 administrative court ruling for more than two years constituted a breach of the right to a fair trial.

In its judgment, the ECHR rejected Greece’s arguments regarding “economic difficulties” and “administrative complexity,” emphasizing that a state’s financial challenges cannot justify the non-execution of court decisions. Such delays, the Court warned, undermine the rule of law.

ABTTF Criticizes Greece: ‘Rule of Law Is Systematically Violated’

Halit Habip Oğlu, President of the Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF), stated that the ruling once again exposes the structural problems within Greece’s judicial system. He noted:

“This latest ECHR judgment clearly demonstrates that the rule of law is systematically violated in Greece. In recent years, both the European Union and international organizations have openly criticized Greece for this failure.”

Habip Oğlu pointed out that Greece has a poor record regarding the implementation of ECHR rulings, ranking among the top ten member states of the Council of Europe that fail to execute Court judgments. He also stressed that, within the Bekir Usta and Others case group, decisions concerning associations of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace have remained unenforced for more than 17 years.

He concluded:

“A country that claims to be the cradle of democracy should first put its own house in order and fully respect the rule of law, which is one of the fundamental principles of democracy.”