Council of State (Greece)
The Greek Council of State (Greek Συμβούλιο της Επικρατείας Simvoulio tis Epikratias ) is the highest administrative court in Greece.
The State Council, the Supreme Civil and Criminal Court and the Court of the Areopagus, the supreme courts of Greece.
The Greek Council of State is a member of the Association of the Councils of State and Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions of the European Union and the International Association of Supreme Administrative Jurisdictions.
Jurisdiction
The State Council is the highest of the three instances of administrative justice. The administrative courts decide on all disputes involving public law, such as on tax disputes, civil servants litigation, social security claims, state liability suits, actions for public tenders and general actions for annulment of administrative acts. About actions which administrative acts are challenged on the ground vires, the State Council decides in the first and last instance. Otherwise, he has to decide on the revisions to administrative court decisions of the lower courts.
Finally, the State Council is responsible for the expert handling of the presidential ordinances regarding their legality.
History
In its present form the Greek Council of State was the first time in the Constitution of 1911; He began his work in 1929. Previously, there was twice an institution with the name " State ": In 1833, a Council of State was established as an advisory body on the one hand and on the other hand, as a Supreme Administrative Court under the absolute monarchy. This first State Council has worked since 1835. Despite his active contribution to the revolution of September 3 1844, he was regarded as an organ of the absolute monarchy, which is why it was dissolved by the Constitution of 1844.
In the Constitution of 1864, the re-establishment of the State Council was provided as a responsible only for bills committee. He worked from February to November 1865 and was abolished by decision of the Parliament, because he was still associated by the politicians of that time with the monarchy.
Finally, the institution of the State Council was re-created in the constitution of 1911. He was after the introduction of the first government of Eleftherios Venizelos represent a fundamental factor for securing the rule of law. Was modeled on the French Conseil d' État. The basic responsibilities of the newly created State Council in relation to the processing of draft laws and regulations and the case law in the area of the disciplinary proceedings of the officials. But the most important responsibility of the State Council was that of the Supreme Administrative Court.
Occupation
The State Council consists of the President, ten Vice-Presidents, 53 council members, 56 associate members and 50 assistant judges, who are involved in the exercise of judicial functions. The President and the Vice- President of the Court are elected by the Cabinet, the other judges will be transported by the Superior Council of Magistrates of the State Council and the administrative courts.
The State Council decides in cases of particular interest and in cases in which the constitutionality of laws is necessary to examine as a plenum, otherwise by the Senate, which are staffed by a Vice-President, two or four council members and two non-voting associate members. The judges enjoy material and personal independence. They are subject only to the Constitution and constitutional laws.
Building
The State Council has its seat in the " Arsakion " construction in the Panepistimiou 47-49 in central Athens. The neoclassical building was designed by the architect 1846-1852 Lysander Kaftanzoglou as a girls' school. With the approval of King Otto spoils were integrated by Akropolisfelsen in the construction, however, brought back to its original location when the last renovation and replaced by replicas.
President
- Michail Stasinopoulos ( Μιχαήλ Στασινόπουλος, 1966-1969 )
- Alexandros Dimitsas ( Αλέξανδρος Δήμιτσας, 1969-1974 )
- Georgios Marangopoulos ( Γεώργιος Μαραγκόπουλος, 1974-1976 )
- Othon Kyriakos ( Όθων Κυριακός, 1976-1977 )
- Nikolaos Bouropoulos ( Νικόλαος Μπουρόπουλος, 1977-1981 )
- Angelos Iatridis ( Άγγελος Ιατρίδης, 1981-1983)
- Themistocles Kourousopoulos ( Θεμιστοκλής Κουρουσόπουλος, 1983-1988 )
- Vasilios Rotis ( Βασίλειος Ρώτης, 1988)
- Vasilios Botopoulos ( Βασίλειος Μποτόπουλος, 1988-1999 )
- Christos Geraris ( Χρίστος Γεραρής, 1999-2005)
- Georgios Panagiotopoulos ( Γεώργιος Παναγιωτόπουλος, 2005-2010 )
- Panagiotis Pikrammenos ( Παναγιώτης Πικραμμένος, 2010-16. May 2012)
- Konstantinos Menoudakis ( Κωνσταντίνος Μενουδάκος, since 17 May 2012)