Abbot convicted in land case

A GREEK court has convicted a monastery abbot, a monk and a judge over a real estate dispute that blew up into a major political scandal. Court officials say judge Maria Psalti was found guilty of breach of duty and given a suspended 15-month sentence. The court said Psalti delayed publishing a 2004 ruling against the monastery in a property dispute with the state. As a result, the state settled out of court, eventually swapping the land for higher-value property. Two government ministers lost their jobs over the deal. Efraim, abbot of the Orthodox Christian Vatopedi Monastery, and one of his monks also received suspended 15-month terms for instigating Psalti’s acts. The decision was issued on October 9 in Komotini, 280 kilometres east of Thessaloniki.