The country’s prosecutors are raising the alarm over staffing shortages in the justice system. The Association of Attorneys General of Greece has sent a formal proposal to the Minister of Justice requesting 42 new permanent positions and an increase in the number of students admitted to the Judicial Academy.
Staffing Shortages
Despite adding 92 positions since 2024, the organization reports that formal headcounts do not match the actual operational needs of the prosecutor’s offices. A nationwide survey indicates that many departments face significant operational deficits. These gaps result from maternity leaves, long-term sick leaves, and promotions that are not immediately filled. Furthermore, the organization notes that permanent secondments to the European Public Prosecutor’s Office and key national services reduce the available workforce.
Operational challenges are most acute in first-instance courts. The rise in prosecutorial filings, the operation of parallel hearing rooms, and the transfer of first-instance judges to general lists have altered the ratio between judges and prosecutors. This ratio now stands at approximately one prosecutor for every five judges. The organization states that these factors are major obstacles to the swift and effective administration of criminal justice.
For those inside the courtrooms, the daily reality is one of constant pressure. When a prosecutor is absent, a case can sit idle or be delayed, affecting victims waiting for closure. The request for 42 additional spots aims to stabilize these services so that hearings can proceed without interruption, ensuring that the procedural pace matches the volume of cases.
The Proposal
The specific request targets four categories of officials. It calls for an increase of 22 positions for Deputy Prosecutors of the First Instance, 12 for First Instance Prosecutors, 5 for Deputy Prosecutors of the Court of Appeals, and 3 for Court of Appeals Prosecutors. This distribution is designed to address the specific pressures felt in lower courts.
The proposal also links the hiring to training. Officials demand a simultaneous increase of 42 students in the next class for the Prosecutors’ direction at the National School of Judicial Officers. These new recruits are scheduled to begin their careers as Deputy Prosecutors in June 2029, aiming to provide a long-term solution to the recruitment pipeline.
