Greek Parliament authorises spyware investigation

Nikos Androulakis

The Greek Parliament has approved setting up a panel to investigate the ongoing spyware scandal, after criticism from the European institutions.

All 157 lawmakers from the ruling New Democracy present abstained from the vote to look into the National Intelligence Service (EYP) authorising the mobile phone surveillance of PASOK leader and MEP Nikos Androulakis and financial journalist Thanasis Koukakis.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis claims not to have known about the surveillance or indeed Greece’s use of Predator spyware.

Sophia in ‘t Veld, a Dutch lawmaker overseeing an European Parliament committee into the use of spyware said before the vote that the government’s handling of the political crisis was “extremely superficial.”

“The Greek authorities claim they are innocent so they’ve got nothing to hide… but are very reluctant to shed light on the whole matter, and so far all their moves over the last year or so have been to cover things up.”

A former head of EYP has admitted to a Greek Parliamentary committee that the phone surveillance of Androulakis and Koukakis did occur.

The investigative committee’s remit goes beyond these discrete incidents and will also examine allegations that phones belonging to officials in Greece's Communist party were surveilled in 2016, under the previous Syriza government. Media reports following the Androulakis and Koukakis revelations suggest 15,475 individuals have been palced under surveillance.

How effective the investigation will be remains to be seen. New Democracy will have a majority on the investigating panel and could quash any recommendations that go against the government or would seem to further embarrass Mitsotakis, who has said he will reform EYP.

No reasons have been given for for Androulakis being put under surveillance. The scandal, which has now attracted global media attention, comes at a time when the Green Prime Minister is already under pressure on a number of fronts, from record inflation and soaring energy costs to Turkish provocations. He has ruled out early elections and said he would serve out his term to a re-election poll in mid-2023.