Filenews 7 January 2026
The construction of new Prisons outside the city was announced by the Minister of Justice, Kostas Fytiris, underlining that the space was found and that the projects for the expansion of the existing structures are suspended. Mr. Fytiris, announced after his visit to the Central Prisons, that the recruitment of 90 prison guards will follow, as well as other actions.
The announcement of the Ministry of Justice and Public Order:
The Minister of Justice and Public Order, Mr. Kostas Fytiris, today paid a new visit to the Central Prisons, in the context of on-site information and direct contact with the Administration and staff of the penitentiary and the resolution of issues that are of great concern to our Penitentiary System.
Today's visit is the fourth in a row that the Minister of Justice has made to the Central Prisons in less than a month, which demonstrates the importance he attaches to the continuous and on-site monitoring of the situation and the need to find immediate and substantial solutions. He met with all the staff who were off shifts and expressed his wishes for the New Year at a modest ceremony of cutting the staff's New Year's Cake.
In his speech to the staff, the Minister stated that the Prison Guards Corps is the main factor in the success of our Penitentiary system, as long as it necessarily has a unified spirit, faith and will to implement the regulations and ensures humane and dignified living conditions for convicts, in the context of the prison role of the Institution.
A Penitentiary is only considered truly successful when the people who are punished and serve their sentence when they are released are better integrated into society. It is from this criterion that the essence and effectiveness of prison policy is judged.
The Minister stressed that the support of the State and the competent Ministry is a given and announced the following measures, stressing that society is not satisfied with findings or intentions, but requires a tangible result:
• Within the month, 90 new prison guard positions are announced, with previous compulsory training.
• The Prison Guards School is upgraded and reopened.
• The position of Director of Prisons is announced.
• A space has already been found outside the urban fabric for the construction of a new, modern Penitentiary that meets the requirements of the 21st century and the procedures for architectural design, tendering and construction of the project will begin as soon as possible. The expansion of the existing Central Prison is suspended.
• In the context of equality before the law and meritocratic evaluation of prison officers, an automated system of evaluation and daily scoring of staff is established within the first half of 2026, with objective and transparent criteria.
• The decongestion of the Prisons continues with a gradual reduction of convicts of minor offenders with the application of approved procedures in cooperation with the Legal Service
• An independent electronic camera monitoring system is installed.
• Nursing and psychosocial support for prisoners and staff is strengthened.
• A staff rotation system is introduced at regular intervals.
The Minister reiterated that the main goal of a modern prison system is not only imprisonment, but primarily the reintegration of prisoners and the strengthening of public security, noting that his visits to the Central Prisons will continue on a regular basis.
