Kalamata Bar Association announces warning strike over court security measures

The Kalamata Bar Association has announced a warning strike, with members abstaining from all civil, criminal, and administrative court duties until October 9, 2026. The decision follows a dispute regarding security protocols at the Kalamata Judicial Complex.

For the past two years, since the installation of magnetic gates, lawyers have entered the complex through a dedicated entrance, bypassing the security queues used by the general public, similar to the access granted to judges and judicial staff. However, the Bar Association was verbally informed by judicial police that, following orders from the President of the Kalamata Court of Appeals and the Chief Prosecutor of the Court of Appeals, lawyers will now be subject to document and bag inspections upon entry.

The Bar Association described the decision as unprecedented and unacceptable, noting that it was communicated verbally through a judicial police employee without any prior consultation or dialogue with the Association. The lawyers argued that such checks should only occur under specific circumstances involving serious suspicion of a felony or high-risk security measures, and emphasized their status as unpaid public officials and collaborators of the justice system.