<p>ATHENS, Greece — Greece’s Justice Ministry has authorized a court order to seize assets from the Venezuelan Embassy in Athens following a court case linked to sexual misconduct and wrongful dismissal allegations made by former female staff members. </p>
<p>The court order required the ministry’s approval to be carried out. The ministry said the order should not compromise the embassy’s ability to act as a sovereign entity, Greek officials said Friday. </p>
<p>Several Greek staff members who had made sexual misconduct complaints against a former ambassador were fired. An Athens court in 2019 awarded one woman more than 30,000 euros (about $36,000) in damages. Pandemic restrictions have delayed legal proceedings in cases involving other plaintiffs.</p>
<p>Officials at the Venezuelan Embassy could not be reached for comment. </p>
<p>Greece’s center-right government in 2019 recognized Venezuela’s then-opposition leader, Juan Guaido, as the country’s interim president, abandoning support for the government of President Nicolas Maduro.</p>
<p>Maduro remains in power following elections that the European Union has called undemocratic. Both the Venezuelan government and the opposition-backed rival administration have diplomatic representation in Athens. </p>
