Irini Kalou

Iosif Tsalaganidis has been appointed president of Greece's Supreme Court, it was announced Wednesday. He previously served as court vice-president.

The Parliament speaker and his deputies convened for a second day on Friday in an ongoing bid to appoint the country's new judicial leadership.

The choice of Supreme Court President is to be made from six current vice presidents: Angeliki Aliferopoulou, Giorgos Lekkas, Pinelope Zontanou, Iosif Tsalaganidis, Irini Kalou and Dimitra Kokotini. 

Three top judicial officials - Iosif Tsalaganidis, Pinelopi Zontanou and Angeliki Aliferopoulou - were short-listed on Thursday for the position of Supreme Court president following a session by Parliament's speaker and his deputies. 

The speakers are to convene again on Friday to evaluate candidates for another coveted post: the court's prosecutor. 

A special parliamentary body will hear on Thursday and Friday from 11 candidates vying for the positions of the president and top prosecutor of Greece's Supreme Court.

Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos has refused to sign two presidential decrees for the appointment of a new prosecutor and president of the Supreme Court that had been selected by the previous SYRIZA administration.
The decrees, which were returned to the newly elected New Democracy government unsigned, are considered null and void, and not binding, as a result.

Greek President Prolopis Pavlopoulos returned unsigned the two presidential decrees on the appointment by the previous SYRIZA government of the new prosecutor and president of the Supreme Court.

Since the decrees were not signed by the president, they are considered null and void and therefore are not binding for the government of New Democracy.

Two prominent judicial officials were selected on Friday to replace the outgoing president and prosecutor of the Supreme Court despite intense criticism by legal experts and the political opposition over the legitimacy of the process before a snap election takes place on July 7.

The Greek President has decided not to sign off the presidential decree on the appointment of the new prosecutor and president of the Supreme Court until June 30, when the term of the current leadership expires, sources said on Friday.

Two prominent judicial officials were selected to top positions in the Supreme Court on Friday, following a meeting of the cabinet on Friday and despite intense criticism by the political opposition over the legitimacy of the process.