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“I was fighting for my daily bread and my life was destroyed” – The cleaner from Volos on the Lazaridis case
🇬🇷 Greece /Economy & Trade

“I was fighting for my daily bread and my life was destroyed” – The cleaner from Volos on the Lazaridis case

From Ta Nea · (1d ago) Greek Critical tone

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • A Greek woman recounts her life being ruined after being jailed for 23 days for using a forged elementary school diploma to work for nearly 20 years.
  • The woman, who needed the diploma to secure her job at a municipal kindergarten, stated she forged it due to difficult family circumstances and her husband's disability.
  • She argues her punishment was excessively harsh and calls for equal treatment under the law, regardless of a person's status, after being unable to return to her job despite promises.

The case of the cleaner from Volos, who was convicted for forging a diploma, has resurfaced due to the Makarios Lazaridis affair. This woman, who had only completed five years of primary school, used a falsified certificate stating she had finished the sixth grade to work for nearly two decades at a municipal kindergarten.

I was fighting for my daily bread and my life was destroyed

— The cleaner from VolosDescribing the impact of her conviction on her life.

She explained that she resorted to this measure because of severe family hardship, with a disabled husband and two children to support. "They asked for a diploma up to the 6th grade. I falsified it so I could get the job. I worked for almost 20 years," she stated, highlighting the desperation that drove her actions.

They asked for a diploma up to the 6th grade. I falsified it so I could get the job. I worked for almost 20 years

— The cleaner from VolosExplaining her motivation for forging the document.

Initially, a disciplinary board recommended a demotion, but the municipality pursued legal action. She received a 15-year prison sentence, later reduced to 10 years. After spending 23 days in custody, she was released pending appeal to the Supreme Court, which ultimately acquitted her. This ordeal has left deep scars, and she feels the four-year legal battle profoundly impacted her life.

I made a mistake, I apologized, I was tried, and I lost my job

— The cleaner from VolosReflecting on the consequences of her actions.

"I made a mistake, I apologized, I was tried, and I lost my job," she said, adding that her attempts to re-enter the workforce were unsuccessful, despite alleged promises. She believes her treatment by the justice system was unduly severe, asserting that all citizens, regardless of their position, should face the same legal standards. "I think the sentence imposed on me was very harsh. The way I was tried, every other person should be tried, whether they are a politician or anything else," she commented, still struggling to rebuild her life after the experience.

I think the sentence imposed on me was very harsh. The way I was tried, every other person should be tried, whether they are a politician or anything else

— The cleaner from VolosExpressing her view on the severity of her punishment and advocating for equal justice.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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