Dimitriadis’ lawsuit against former MEP and journalist Kouloglou dismissed by Athens court

The lawsuit concerned a letter sent in 2024 by Kouloglou, in his capacity as a Member of the European Parliament, to the President of the European Parliament, Roberta Metsola. The letter referred to the wiretapping scandal in Greece and to the use of SLAPP lawsuits against journalists.

Dimitriadis sought €450,000 in damages, alleging that the content of the letter was defamatory. During the hearing, journalist Pantelis Boukalas testified as a witness in support of Kouloglou.

According to the court’s reasoning, the statements contained in the letter were not false. The decision notes that Dimitriadis resigned from his post when the existence of an illegal surveillance network was revealed, while his close relationship with individuals implicated in the case was confirmed by testimony from a witness called by the plaintiff himself.

The court also rejected Dimitriadis’ claim that Kouloglou defamed him by referring to a “lawsuit industry”. It found that Dimitriadis has filed multiple lawsuits against journalists and media outlets that reported on the wiretapping affair, meaning the description could not be considered defamatory.

Particular weight was given to the fact that the letter was directly linked to Kouloglou’s parliamentary duties in the European Parliament. The court noted his active role in promoting and securing the adoption of the European directive against SLAPP lawsuits in 2023.

Even independently of his status as an MEP, the court ruled that there was no evidence of intent to harm or knowledge of untruth on Kouloglou’s part, elements required for establishing defamation.

Finally, the judgment underlined that at the time the letter was written and sent, the report of the Supreme Court Prosecutor’s Office on the wiretapping case had not yet been issued, reinforcing the conclusion that there was no fraudulent intent.