The creation of a digital platform for judicial bailiffs does not restrict lawyers’ professional remit, Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis said during the presentation of the bailiffs’ digital platform, also known as “garnishment in the hands of third parties.”

“When we have a digitization process in any sector, it means we strengthen transparency. Digitization is equivalent to transparency because, among other things, it ensures a trace of everyone involved in the process. In digitization, there is no one who is invisible. No one operating in the shadows,” Floridis stressed.

He added that today marks “another important step in the course of digital transition in the field of Justice,” reiterating that digitization guarantees traceability:
“Everyone leaves a trace, which leads to a natural or legal person. Consequently, when we ensure transparency, the weaker parties benefit. The powerful benefit when there is no transparency, because they have ways of hiding things. Therefore, a process that digitizes a critical function in the justice system, such as this one, is a process of transparency.”

No limitation on legal practice

At the same time, responding to online posts, the Minister of Justice clarified that “under no circumstances does the creation of the platform limit lawyers’ work.”

Referring to the role of judicial bailiffs, Floridis emphasized:
“They are the critical neutral party in a decisive process concerning people’s property. They are the neutral figure who carries out cases with the guarantee that everything will be done in accordance with the law. The fact that judicial bailiffs themselves requested that this process—one they perform as third parties and objectively neutral actors—be conducted digitally demonstrates the responsibility they assume. It also shows that the profession of judicial bailiffs approaches its role with a very high sense of duty.”

What the Deputy Minister said

From his side, Deputy Minister of Justice Ioannis Bougas, speaking about how the platform operates, noted:

“Until now, what regime has prevailed in court registries? There are record books, usually kept in public view. Anyone can access them, and oversight takes place without observing any of the obligations of confidentiality and secrecy required for an extremely sensitive procedure. This is now changing and being strengthened.

Access will only be granted to those with credentials—that is, the parties involved in the process—and access or supervision by any unrelated third party is excluded.”

He added that the debtor’s legal defense is strengthened, as are safeguards for third parties:
“There are two stages of objection, with exactly the same deadlines as those currently provided for by law. The expected benefits are self-evident: simplification of procedures and relief of court registries from bureaucratic burdens that heavily weigh on judicial staff. The judicial bailiff now becomes the custodian of the enforcement process, just as in other compulsory enforcement procedures.”

The platform

The digital platform is expected to become operational in March, while since January 1, 2024, the platform portal.odee.gr has been interoperable with the Hellenic Cadastre (ktimatologio.gov.gr), making the electronic service of documents to the Cadastre mandatory.

Since then, all seizures and any other acts or actions by judicial bailiffs addressed to the Hellenic Cadastre are carried out exclusively electronically via the platform.

As stated during the presentation at the Ministry of Justice, “especially in cases such as ‘garnishment in the hands of third parties,’ service may also be carried out electronically, provided that the recipient (e.g., a bank or another entity) holds an approved SHDE digital certificate and has declared its intention on the platform to receive electronic service.”

The recipient must also designate, per Court of Appeal jurisdiction, a responsible employee who holds a valid qualified electronic signature in accordance with the eIDAS Regulation, ensuring proper territorial jurisdiction.

Clarification

“Garnishment in the hands of third parties” is the procedure through which the State (Tax Authority, EFKA) or a private creditor collects money not directly from the debtor, but directly from its source—for example, from a bank account or salary—before the funds reach the debtor.