This story of the rule of law in Greece is not new.

After the defeat of Syriza in 2019, it was used to the point of raising questions regarding the intentions of both in-country critics and out-of-country various curious and non NGOs and other organisations.

The attack on the Justice and the operation to deconstruct it are directly linked to this process which tends, especially from 2023 onwards, to what the European Public Prosecutor, Laura Covesi, brings as a contentious issue in her letter to European Commission under Reason 16 of Regulation (EU) 2020/2092 of 16 December 2020, on a general regime of conditionality for the protection of the budget of the European Union.

What exactly is she trying to do with this letter? The activation of the conditionality mechanism against Greece, i.e. a procedure aimed at freezing EU funds to the country, as happened in the recent past in the case of Hungary under Orban.

Why? For the legislation regarding the speeding up of case proceedings of which she was not only aware but also described as positive during her visit to Greece and the meeting she had with the leadership of the Ministry of Justice.

Something similar had been attempted with the referendum of February 7, 2024 by a decision of the European Parliament in a process initiated and completed by representatives of Eurogroups that came together under a strange alliance in order to hurt Greece and freeze the important funds of the Recovery Fund.

The issue of the rule of law has become a flag since 2023. References to Article 7 of the European Union treaty have been constant in an attempt to condemn the country on the grounds that it does not meet the conditions set by the EU for its member states.

But the reports of the relevant committee have come to different conclusions each time. And on the rule of law and on freedom of the press and on everything that is raised by various party representatives who even rush to visit the rapporteurs/reporters of the relevant report which this year is expected to be published in early July.

Take for example the visit of George Papandreou and Dimitris Mantzos to Brussels at the end of January 2026 or the question of Kostas Arvanitis at the end of April regarding the attitude of the Greek government towards Laura Covesi.

The question is why would anyone want a condemnation of Greece linked to a freeze on European funds? What benefit will the opposition parties here have in return? And do they really believe that the majority of citizens, this silent majority, believe that there is a rule of law issue?

So that in Greece there is no freedom of speech or that there is no freedom of the press? Is it that the judiciary is being bullied by the government because the opposition doesn’t like certain decisions, whereas it is good and worthy when it likes them?

As for the attitude of the European Public Prosecutor, however, it was discounted by various media. That she was quick to send a letter linking a piece of legislation to EU funds should also give her supporters here pause for thought.

*This article was published in the print edition of the Manifesto.