The leader of SYRIZA, Alexis Tsipras, has discussed Greece’s recent wiretapping scandal during meetings with European Commission officials in Brussels on Wednesday.
Tsipras met with EU Commissioner for Values & Transparency, Věra Jourová, as well as the European Parliament’s Chair of the Committee on Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs, Juan Fernando Lopez Aguilar.
After the meeting, Tsipras told reporters he had the opportunity to express to the EU officials his “strong concern over the blows that the rule of law has received in Greece, blows that endanger democracy itself in our country.”
Greece’s main opposition party leader elaborated that the concerns he aired relate to the “big wiretapping scandal and its accompanying scandal of covering up the truth and those responsible behind the tracking of politicians and journalists, and the lack of pluralism in mass media.”
Tsipras also mentioned “the issue of the undermining and the instrumentalisation of the judicial system” in Greece.
According to Ekathimerini, Tsipras said SYRIZA will do whatever it can to protect democracy and rule of law in Greece.
“Wherever that is not feasible within Greece, we will seek it by utilising European institutions – and every other possibility – so that truth may shine and democracy is restored,” he added.
For her part, Jourová confirmed on Twitter that she and Tsipras had discussed “the basis of the annual Rule Of Law report, including situation in the media, independence of judiciary and the use of spyware.”
Ahead of my visit to Athens, I met w/ @atsipras in Brussels. We discussed the situation in
— Věra Jourová (@VeraJourova) September 28, 2022on the basis of the annual #RuleOfLaw report, incl. situation in the media, independence of judiciary & the use of spyware. I will continue these discussions w/ the government tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/6qyzVhxZV3
The wiretapping scandal emerged in August this year and refers to revelations that PASOK party leader, Nikos Androulakis, was put under surveillance for three months last year when he was running for his PASOK party’s leadership.
Jourová is expected in Athens on Thursday to further discuss these issues in meetings scheduled with Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and Justice Minister Konstantinos Tsiaras, among many others.
READ MORE: EU parliament to probe ‘inexcusable’ phone tapping of Greek politician.
Source: Ekathimerini.
