In a detailed announcement, the Committee highlighted the critical issues stemming from the recent passing of Law 5095/2024, which was intended to transfer certain court cases to lawyers, thereby aiming to speed up the administration of justice. The law recognises the enhanced role of lawyers as crucial partners in the judiciary system and was supposed to be implemented starting June 1, 2024.
However, the Ministry of Justice has been criticised for its failure to issue the necessary ministerial decision that would outline the specifics of lawyer registrations, compensation amounts, payment methods, and other procedural details. This delay has created significant uncertainty and operational challenges for legal professionals.
Moreover, the Committee pointed out that there has been no progress in the liquidation and payment of legal aid compensations. Despite legislation specifying these payments, debts from the first four months of 2024 have already accumulated. The Ministry’s delay has been described as unjustified, prompting the Committee to demand immediate action.
As a consequence of these ongoing issues, the Coordinating Committee has recommended that Bar Associations across Greece consider abstaining from legal aid work if the mentioned compensations are not processed by specific deadlines. They have set a final date of May 20, 2024, for resolving outstanding payments for those who utilised article 69 of Law 5016/2023 and early June 2024 for all other cases.
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