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Greek court sentences former state officials

Date:
17 October 2024

Relevant legislation/regulation:
Penal Code (Misdemeanour Offences)

Jurisdiction:
Greece

Status:
Closed

Regulator/enforcement authority:
Court of Appeals of Larissa

ESG Category:
Environmental, Governance

Defendant(s)/subjects(s):
Kostas Agorastos, Konstantinos Noussios and Dimitris Koutromanos

Key Facts:

In October 2024, the Misdemeanour Court of Appeal of Larissa sentenced four of 10 charged ex-state officials to 15 months in prison, suspended for three years, for negligence in relation to their official functions. They were found guilty of omissions which might have prevented flooding caused by Cyclone Ianos (2020), including failings in relation to anti-flood protections.

Those officials found guilty of negligent flooding by omission were the former regional governor (Kostas Agorastos), his deputy (Konstantinos Nussios) and the director of technical services for each of Thessaly and Kardista (Dimitris Koutromanos).

Cyclone Ianos is responsible for the death of three people and flooding and agricultural loss. All 10 individuals were found innocent of the charge of manslaughter/negligent homicide.

Sources:

Reuters article of October 2024