Justice Ministry

More than 9,000 inmates who left open prison on furlough during the COVID-19 pandemic and were due to return on Aug. 15 this year to serve the rest of their sentences have not returned.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 100,000 inmates were granted tentative parole and released from minimum-security prisons due to concerns about overcrowding and the pandemic's risks.

Individuals who are responsible for starting wildfires even unintentionally will face jail time and much heftier fines, ministers for Justice Giorgos Floridis and Civil Protection Vassilis Kikilias said on Thursday after meeting to discuss new legislation governing arson-related crimes.

The government is due to select a new president and prosecutor for the Supreme Court by the end of the month, responding to the urgent need for reform, given the enormous problems in justice system, and in particular delays in issuing judgments.

The speaker's office has forwarded 400 proceedings linked to previous term deputies, including opposition leader Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu, to the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor's Office as the ex-MPs have been stripped of their immunity in the aftermath of the parliamentary election.

Evidently, Varga could not convince the EU Commission that Hungary has made enough progress and her resignation could be a sign that PM Vikor Orban has lost confidence in her. However, other factors might be in the background. The Justice Ministry was rocked by a major corruption and money-laundering scandal, as Varga's state secretary was selling lucrative bailiff positions for money.

Greek courts will remain closed across the country for eight days, from June 21 to June 28, due to the national elections scheduled for June 25, a Justice Ministry circular announced on Monday.

Criminal trials starting before the suspension and not concluded within the same day shall resume after the suspension ends. [AMNA]

The distribution of the ministries will be made according to the number of deputies the Republican People's Party (CHP) and the İYİ (Good) Party will receive, the latter's chair Meral Akşener has said.

Civil and criminal court hearings in Athens and Thessaloniki will be suspended from May 17 to 26 due to the general election on May 21, the Justice Ministry has announced.

However, criminal cases that begin before May 17 and that need to continue beyond that date will be heard.

As the North Macedonian parliamentary commission starts work this week on drafting important but controversial change designed to satisfy neighbouring Bulgaria, opposition parties have cried foul, insisting that the experts nominated in it lack credibility, as they are close to the ruling parties.

Democratic Montenegro MP Momo Koprivica at a parliament session in Podgorica. Photo: Parliament of Montenegro.

Koprivica made the announcement at a parliamentary debate on war crimes committed against Montenegrins at the Lora military prison in the Croatian coastal city of Split.