Criminal file on former PM Tsipras reaches Greek Parliament over 2019 codes

The file reaches Parliament

On Wednesday, 4 November 2026, the plenary of the Greek Parliament was informed that a criminal file had been forwarded to it, with the announcement made in the evening. The file was formed after a complaint that Kyriakos Velopoulos, president of Elliniki Lysi, filed in July 2026 with the Areios Pagos prosecutor's office against former prime minister Alexis Tsipras. Reports say the file covers the offences of breach of duty and bribery, and that it carries no criminal assessment. The complaint rested on claims made by Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis about Tsipras.

Georgiadis's claims and the 2019 codes

Georgiadis publicly accused Tsipras of taking money to vote for the criminal codes, a remark he tied to earlier statements by former justice minister Stavros Kontonis. The codes were passed shortly before the national elections of 7 July 2019, when Tsipras had already announced an early vote. Kontonis had testified in a preliminary examination and described the decision to proceed as an "extreme act of collusion". According to competent sources cited by in.gr, a similar inquiry was carried out twice in the past, and both times the file was archived.

“Tsipras took money to vote for the criminal codes.”

Routing and time limits

To Vima reported that the complaint first went to a first-instance prosecutor, was sent back to the Areios Pagos prosecutor's office because it concerned a political figure, and then reached the Justice Ministry on 27 October 2026. The file went to Parliament on 4 November. The same outlet says the first-instance prosecutor kept copies to investigate non-political persons over the vote. In.gr reported that the possible offences are time-barred and could not be investigated, except for continuing offences that are not part of the file. It added that the change to Article 86 of the Constitution came after the December 2019 elections, so the expiry period in the clause later removed from the Constitution applies, meaning the case has been closed for years.

Signatures and reaction

From the plenary rostrum, Velopoulos asked the parties to gather the 30 signatures needed to set up a preliminary investigation committee. Elliniki Lysi has 11 MPs, so it cannot file the proposal on its own. Kostas Hitchas, the party's parliamentary spokesman, urged the other opposition parties to co-sign.

“We ask the other opposition parties to co-sign the request, so that the relevant debate on forming a preliminary investigation committee can be held in the plenary.”

Elliniki Lysi MPs11

Signatures required for committee30

Elliniki Lysi MPs

11 count

Signatures required for committee

30 count

Data from the article text

At the time of reporting, Tsipras's party had not responded to the file. The committee proposal therefore depends on whether other opposition parties add their signatures.