Greek Spyware Scandal: Cover-Up Allegations as Case Reaches Court
A major political scandal, dubbed “Greece’s Watergate,” involving spyware and Greek intelligence has escalated to the courts. While Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has acknowledged the issue as a scandal, critics allege a government cover-up, pointing to the lack of charges against government officials. Instead, a low-ranking judge is set to hear the case against four individuals allegedly linked to the Predator spyware.
The Unfolding of the Spyware Scandal
The scandal began in the summer of 2022 when Nikos Androulakis, then a member of the European Parliament (MEP) and now head of the socialist party Pasok, received a suspicious text message. IT experts identified the message as containing Predator spyware, marketed by the Athens-based Israeli company Intellexa. This spyware can access a device's messages, camera, and microphone, effectively turning the phone against its owner.
Further investigation revealed that Androulakis was also being tracked by Greece's National Intelligence Service (EYP) for "national security reasons." Shortly after assuming office in 2019, PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis placed EYP directly under his supervision, placing his government at the center of the controversy. Consequently, the head of EYP, Panagiotis Kontoleon, and the prime minister's top aide and nephew, Grigoris Dimitriadis, resigned.
Allegations of Government Involvement and Cover-Up
The Hellenic Data Protection Authority found that Predator had been used to target at least 87 individuals. Shockingly, 27 of those under surveillance were simultaneously monitored by EYP, including ministers and senior military officers. Despite this, the government maintained that there was no connection between EYP and Predator and that no law enforcement agency had ever used the spyware, even though its use was illegal at the time. A new law passed in 2022 has since legalized state security use of surveillance software under strict conditions. The government has remained silent as to why the secret service spied on the Chief of National Defence General Staff, Lieutenant General Konstantinos Floros, and Kostis Hatzidakis.
Conflicting Reports and Ongoing Investigation
In July 2024, a report by the Greek Supreme Court, as reported by the BBC, concluded that there was "clearly no connection" between Predator and government officials. Government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis echoed this sentiment, stating that "Justice has spoken." However, critics remain skeptical, particularly as the four individuals facing misdemeanor charges in Athens allegedly connected to the marketing of Predator are said to have ties with state officials, a connection that was, according to the opposition and watchdogs, never seriously investigated.
Perspectives and Concerns
Thanasis Koukakis, a financial reporter and target of dual surveillance, described the situation as evolving into an "institutional scandal, tainting both the judiciary and the independent authorities." Similarly, journalist Eliza Trintafyllou highlighted the absurdity of the situation, noting that it appears as if four individuals "tapped the phones of 87 people in Greece, using advanced spyware that is otherwise marketed exclusively to state intelligence services and law enforcement authorities worldwide" without any governmental oversight or involvement from the victims themselves.
The legal proceedings are underway, but many questions remain unanswered, fostering concerns about government transparency and the protection of civil liberties in Greece.
