EU lawmakers are set to discuss the recently reported hacking of Greek politicians’ phones by the Predator spyware following a previous hearing on a similarly targeted journalist.
PASOK-Movement for Change President Nikos Androulakis (S&D), who the National Intelligence Service targeted for “national security” reasons between September-December 2021 will also participate in the debate. The lifting of the surveillance came a few days after he was elected PASOK President.
During the debate, EU lawmakers are set to express their anger at the recent revelations of wiretapping by the intelligence services and the use of spyware targeting politicians, journalists, and other public figures in Greece.
Earlier this year, the European Parliament set up a committee of inquiry to investigate the use of surveillance software and on Thursday (8 September), the committee hosted a debate on Greece with government officials and journalists who have been targeted by spyware.
Read more: ‘National security’ curtain falls down on Greek spyware scandal investigation
But Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made very few references to the wiretapping scandal during his three-hour press conference on the sidelines of the 86th Thessaloniki International Fair in which he only made one mention of Androulakis.
Mitsotakis made no reference to the journalists who were monitored, nor about SYRIZA-PA MP Christos Spirtzis, who on Friday (9 September) filed a lawsuit with the Supreme Court for the monitoring of his mobile phone.
Mitsotakis defended the wiretapping and spoke of an “official error” but refused to give reasons for the surveillance.
“Obviously it is not normal for a political leader to be monitored. No one should be exempt from a potential surveillance procedure. We are in no danger from either grocers or plumbers. There should be extremely strict filters. The monitoring was legal and documented,” he said.
“What happened was butter on Androulakis’ bread and helped him to get into a fault line with New Democracy,” he added.
PASOK-Movement for Change’s responded that the prime minister “is trying to find a lifeline in conspiracy scenarios to escape from the truth. Soon he will tell us that we put the NIS on surveillance and asked for the Predator trap attempt.”
The opposition SYRIZA party was quick to comment on the prime minister’s response.
“In complete isolation, Mr Mitsotakis today starred in a bad tasteful show of state that is reminiscent of the regimes of the merciful monarchs. In a crescendo of arrogance, the mastermind of the wiretapping dared to say that he is a “deep democrat” for allowing journalists to go to the TIF [Thessaloniki International Fair]” SYRIZA said.
Not only did the prime minister deny that Spirtzis could be monitored by the NSA in addition to the Predator, he confirmed that he is coordinating the cover-up operation behind the alleged ‘secrecy’, arguing with all the constitutionalists and even with the MPs of the Southwest, said a statement by SYRIZA-PA.
(Spiros Sideris | EURACTIV.gr)