The Institute for Transparency and Fundamental Rights of the EPLO, in collaboration with the Hellenic Association of Criminal Lawyers and Barristers, successfully hosted the scientific conference: “Article 86 of the Constitution: Past, Present and Future. Constitutional, Criminal and EU Law Dimensions.”
The event took place on Wednesday, 27 May 2026, at the Athens Bar Association Hall, bringing together leading figures from the fields of constitutional, criminal and European law for an in‑depth examination of one of the most debated provisions of the Greek Constitution.The conference opened with welcoming remarks by:
Andreas Koutsolampros, President of the Athens Bar Association
Charalambos Tsiliotis, Associate Professor of Constitutional and European Constitutional Law, Director and Chair of the Board of the EPLO Institute for Transparency and Fundamental Rights
Dimitrios Gavelas, President of the Hellenic Association of Criminal Lawyers and Barristers
Their interventions highlighted the enduring importance of Article 86 in the Greek constitutional order and the need for continued scholarly dialogue on its interpretation and reform.
Panel I – Constitutional and EU Law Perspectives
The first panel, chaired by Professor Spyridon Flogaitis, Director of the EPLO, focused on the constitutional and EU‑law dimensions of Article 86.
Speakers included:
Evangelos Venizelos, Professor of Constitutional Law, former Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
“The Revision of Article 86 of the Constitution”
Ioannis Sarmas, former Caretaker Prime Minister, Honorary President of the Court of Audit
“Does Article 86 Require Revision?”
Lina Papadopoulou, Professor of Constitutional Law, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
“Article 86 in Light of Regulation (EU) 2017/1939 on the European Public Prosecutor’s Office”
Charalambos Tsiliotis, Associate Professor, University of the Peloponnese
“Interpretative Issues Arising from the Abolition of the Extinction Deadline under Article 86(3)”
The panel examined the historical evolution of ministerial liability, the constitutional implications of recent reforms, and the interaction between national constitutional provisions and EU criminal justice mechanisms.
Panel II – Criminal Law and EU Law Perspectives
The second panel, chaired by Vasileios Dimakopoulos, lawyer and former Vice‑President of the Hellenic Association of Criminal Lawyers, explored the criminal‑law aspects of Article 86.
Contributions included:
Aristomenis Tzanetis, Professor of Criminal Law and Criminal Procedure, University of Athens
“Conflict of Competence Between Parliament and the European Public Prosecutor’s Office in Ministerial Offences”
Aris Charalambakis, Professor Emeritus of Criminal Law, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
“Money Laundering from Ministerial Offences”
Ioanna Anastasopoulou, Assistant Professor of Criminal Law, University of Athens
“Extinction of Criminal Claims in Ministerial Offences (Limitation Periods and Prescription)”
Themistoklis Sofos, Lawyer, former Vice‑President of the Athens Bar Association
“Invalidity of Parliamentary Criminal Pre‑Trial Proceedings under Misapplication of Article 86”
A closing intervention was delivered by Christos Mylonopoulos, Professor Emeritus of Criminal Law, University of Athens, and President of the Institute of European and International Criminal Law.
A Platform for Scholarly Dialogue
The conference provided a comprehensive and multi‑disciplinary examination of Article 86, addressing its constitutional foundations, criminal‑law implications, and interaction with EU institutions.
The high‑level participation and depth of analysis underscored the continuing relevance of ministerial liability in modern democratic governance.
The EPLO Institute for Transparency and Fundamental Rights remains committed to fostering rigorous academic debate and supporting informed legal reform in Greece and Europe.
