The opposition and then the press dubbed it the “Greek Watergate”. In Greece, a spy scandal erupted in the heart of the summer and its turmoil splashes as far as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Surveillance by the secret services of the phone of an opponent, the current head of Pasok-Kinal, the third political force in the country, could open a period of political instability less than a year before the next elections.
From our correspondent in Athens,
From the moment the surveillance of the phone of opponent and MEP Nikos Androulakis was made public in early August, the affair immediately took on the air of a state scandal. Earlier this year, two journalists had already filed a complaint for being spied on by the secret services via the Predator software, without causing a strong explosion at the top of the Greek state. But this time, in the days following the revelations of the three-month surveillance last year of the man who became one of the leaders of the opposition, secret service boss Panagiotis Kontoleon and the Secretary General of the Prime Minister’s Office have resigned. Emphasizing, if necessary, the magnitude of the case.
Three days later, the Greek Prime Minister has moreover recognized a “ mistake » secret service while denying having had knowledge of this monitoring. However, what puts him in a delicate situation is that he himself modified the law shortly after his election in the summer of 2019, to become, de facto, the head of these secret services which are incriminated today. In summary, if this scandal is big, it is because it is directly linked to the name of the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself.
The Prime Minister in front of Parliament
On Friday, the Prime Minister defended himself during the debates on this affair which took place all day in Parliament. And the best defence, they say, is attack. At the podium, Kyriakos Mitsotakis made every effort, in particular brandishing documents, to recall that the previous government, that of Alexis Tsipras, his main opponent, had also been at the origin of espionage cases. During his first 45-minute speech, he also did not hesitate to light up fires to try to steer the debate in the days and weeks to come in other directions, for example on the migration question.
If the attack is his best weapon, it is also that the defense seems delicate. Not once, despite three interventions in total over the day, did the Prime Minister take the time to explain, to justify the opponent’s surveillance. Thus reinforcing the impression that it has, precisely, something unjustifiable.
Call for resignation
The opposition has demanded the resignation of Kyriakos Mitsotakis. Although weakened by this scandal, the Greek Prime Minister reaffirmed that he would complete his four-year mandate, which must end with new elections by next summer.
On paper, New Democracy, the conservative party he leads, is currently still a big favorite in the next election. But the boulevard which opened, before this case of espionage, on the announced re-election of Kyriakos Mitsotakis has probably just narrowed.