A Justice Ministry bill titled “Code of Alternative Dispute Resolution and Other Provisions” goes before the full Greek Parliament on Thursday for debate and a vote. It expands mandatory recourse to out-of-court dispute resolution and introduces harsher penalties for fraud targeting vulnerable citizens.
The government is championing the bill as a way to ease the burden on the courts, while the opposition has raised concerns about cost and citizens’ access to justice. At the heart of the new framework is a mandatory introductory session of mediation or judicial mediation before certain categories of lawsuits can be heard. These include family, property, and inheritance disputes, with some exceptions, as well as ordinary-procedure cases before the single-member Court of First Instance involving claims above 20,000 euros. Taking part in the introductory session does not oblige the parties to reach a settlement.
The bill also overhauls the rules governing arbitration.
A separate set of provisions addresses fraud, with new complaints now being filed daily. Offenders acting jointly and on a professional basis will face up to eight years in prison and a fine when they exploit a victim’s vulnerability due to age or mental condition, or when they cause fear, distress, or insecurity. A corresponding provision is introduced for computer fraud.
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An amendment attached to the same bill paves the way for a subsidy on 95-octane unleaded gasoline through October 31. According to government announcements, the subsidy is set at 10 cents per liter and takes effect on October 17.
A second amendment, submitted by Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris, fast-tracks procedures for opening a temporary migrant reception facility at the Linaridi site in the Athanatoi area of Heraklion.
In the explanatory memorandum, the government cites rising migration flows along the country’s southern borders and the consequences of people being held in unsuitable locations, both for local communities and for the safety and rights of the migrants themselves.