The European Parliament will cooperate with Greek authorities to investigate the “intolerable and inexcusable” phone tapping of PASOK leader, Nikos Androulakis, by the nation’s intelligence service (EYP).
This comes after Greece’s President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, called for an investigation into the scandal involving Androulakis, who is also a member of the EU Parliament.
“Illegal surveillance of members’ communications is intolerable and inexcusable,” said Juri Laas, spokesman for EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
“Such infringements of the principles and values which form the basis of our democratic system cannot be tolerated, irrespective of the member state where they occur.”
The EU Parliament already has a committee investigating the use of the Pegasus spyware in the 27-nation bloc. According to the spokesman, Metsola now wants the committee to look into the Greek case as well.
The EU Parliament has already received an initial request for information from the Greek authorities and will share its findings “in the coming days,” he added.
The phone tapping scandal broke earlier this month amid growing concern in the EU about the use of spyware software and has sparked uproar amongst opposition parties in Greece.
Greece’s Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, has since said he was unaware of the phone tap, describing it as a mistake that should have never occurred.
Source: Ekathimerini.
