The Greek intelligence service’s wiretapping of the phones of the opposition Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader Nikos Androulakis and CNN Greece’s economy correspondent Thanasis Koukakis fell like a bombshell. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis “I didn’t know, I would never have let that happen. I owe Mr. Androulakis an apology for the mistake.” said. Alexis Tsipras, leader of Greece’s main opposition party SYRIZA, accused the prime minister of knowing and coordinating the wiretaps.
MİÇOTAKİS: I NEVER ALLOWED THAT
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis apologized for the allegations that the phones of Greek National Intelligence Agency EYP President Panagiotis Kontoleon, Panhellenic Socialist Movement (PASOK) leader Nikos Androulakis and CNN Greece’s economy correspondent Thanasis Koukakis were tapped. According to the news in the Greek media, Mitsotakis described the situation as a serious and unforgivable mistake and said, “I had no idea, I would never have allowed it. I owe Mr. Androulakis an apology for the mistake.”
APPLICATION FROM ÇİPRAS TO MİÇOTAKİS
Alexis Tsipras, leader of Greece’s main opposition party SYRIZA, said the resignations over the wiretapping allegations “contain an admission of guilt and confirm the responsibility of the prime minister”. Tsipras said, “Mitsotakis should make a statement to the Greek people about his own scandal. This is a matter of democracy.” SYRIZA accused the prime minister of knowing and coordinating the wiretaps. The main opposition party also claimed that Mitsotakis sacrificed his closest and most trusted partners to save himself. The party claimed that the two resignations “proved that the Government and its spokesperson, Yiannis Economou, had been telling ‘corrupt lies’ for months.” PASOK also accused the government of trying to cover up the wiretapping allegations, although it was confirmed. Parliamentary Group Leader Kostas Skandalidis, referring to the closed-door parliamentary commission meeting on the allegations on July 29, said, “10 days ago, the PASOK leader claimed that there was an attempt to spy on his mobile phone, and this was approved by the European Parliament. The next day, the government rushed to parliament to close the issue,” he said.
“THERE IS A BIG PROBLEM OF DEMOCRACY AND TRANSPARENCY”
“The government’s reasons for resigning on Friday are ridiculous and frankly incomprehensible. Greece clearly has a huge democracy and transparency problem. The responsibility for this lies directly with the prime minister. If it cannot fulfill its democratic obligations, it should go to elections. PASOK continues to fight the dark mechanisms that work unchecked in Greece,” Skandalidis said. will,” he said.
NAMES KEPT CONFIDENTIAL
On the other hand, two lawmakers who spoke to the press on condition of anonymity said that Intelligence Chief Kontoleon admitted during a parliamentary committee on July 29 that the service was ‘spying on Thanasis Koukakis, a financial journalist working for CNN Greece’.
CALL FOR INVESTIGATION COMMITTEE
Androulakis urged the Greek parliament to set up an investigative committee to investigate the case. The government may grant the request if it is formally submitted.
announced its support. Androulakis, who was elected as the Chairman of PASOK in December 2021, said on Friday evening that he learned that the EYP had been listening to the phone calls in late 2021, but did not reveal the source of the information. The European Parliament confirmed that Androulakis’ phone was tapped. On Friday, Grigoris Dimitriadis, General Secretary and nephew of Kondoleon and Mitsotakis, resigned.
Source: UAV