PACE adopts Resolution 2674 evaluating Greek democracy, noting economic progress and rule of law concerns

Evaluation in Strasbourg

On Tuesday night, 29 September 2026, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe adopted Resolution 2674 during its session in Strasbourg. The vote marked the conclusion of the first periodic evaluation of Greece regarding its statutory member obligations since 2018. The resolution was drafted on the basis of a report from the Monitoring Committee, led by co-rapporteurs Laura Castel of Spain and Miapetra Kumpula-Natri of Finland. In the resulting text, the assembly evaluated the Greek democratic system as firmly rooted and resilient, while stating that further consolidation of the rule of law requires sustained efforts and constructive political dialogue across the political spectrum.

Economic recovery and legal reforms

The resolution acknowledged that Greece accomplished substantial economic and social progress following the deep recession of 2009 to 2015, which was achieved through significant sacrifices by Greek citizens. Official figures incorporated into the assembly's review recorded a decline in overall unemployment from 20.7% in 2017 to below 8%, accompanied by a drop in female unemployment from 25% to 9.8%, the lowest level since records began. Additionally, Greece reduced its public debt-to-GDP ratio by 30 percentage points during the post-crisis era. The assembly also commended specific legislative and human rights milestones, including the ratification of the Istanbul Convention on combating violence against women, the adoption of Protocols 15 and 16 of the European Convention on Human Rights, and the legal recognition of same-sex marriage.

Scrutiny of surveillance, transport, and migration

Alongside positive economic indicators, the assembly detailed persistent institutional challenges in Greek governance and justice. The resolution raised formal concerns regarding corruption allegations involving high-ranking public officials, as well as reported government interference in sensitive judicial inquiries. On the use of the Predator surveillance software against politicians and journalists, the assembly urged Greek authorities to conduct prompt, independent, and effective investigations into all confirmed and alleged incidents. The text called for the application of criminal or administrative sanctions against those responsible and requested that regulatory bodies and targeted individuals receive full access to surveillance records. The resolution also cited corruption concerns at the OPEKEPE payment agency, reported violence by security forces against migrants, restrictive legal rules for civil society organizations working in migration and asylum, and delayed execution of European Union-funded railway infrastructure contracts linked to the Tempi train disaster.

Domestic opposition response

Following the adoption of the resolution in Strasbourg, the Justice and Foreign Policy sectors of ELAS issued a joint announcement addressing the findings. The party sectors described Resolution 2674 as an indictment of the state of democratic institutions and rule of law under the administration of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. They pressed the government to respond directly to European findings concerning wiretapping, infrastructure funding, and administrative transparency. The opposition stated that the resolution serves as a reminder that multiple government scandals cannot be obscured, concluding with a warning regarding future institutional accountability:

Soon, Mr Mitsotakis will be called to account himself: to justice, to the Greek people, and to European institutions. And there he will not be able to invoke the right to remain silent.