PM says espionage a mistake, pledges EYP overhaul

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the nation on Monday he did not know that the leader of the country’s opposition Socialist party had been wiretapped by Greece’s intelligence service in 2021, adding he would never have allowed it.

“Although everything was done lawfully, the National Intelligence Service (EYP) underestimated the political dimension of that particular action. It was formally adequate, but politically unacceptable. It should not have happened [and it] undermined citizens’ confidence in national intelligence,” Mitsotakis said. 

“[The surveillance] may have abided with the letter of the law, but it was wrong. I had no knowledge of this; and, If I did, I would never have allowed it,” he said.

Mitsotakis said that the case had exposed the shortcomings of the Greek secret service and pledged an overhaul of EYP.

The head of EYP and the general secretary of Mitsotakis’ office have both resigned amid the scandal the scandal involving the targeting of PASOK president Nikos Androulakis, also an MEP, and a journalist with spyware.