Gov’t spokesman: newspaper report on widespread surveillance through spyware lacks evidence
The Greek government has reacted to a newspaper’s claims that both pro-government and opposition politicians, as well as artists and other public figures are being spied upon by using the Israeli-made Predator spyware.
Documento, a Sunday paper whose publisher, Kostas Vaxevanis, has especially close connections to the opposition SYRIZA party, has published a list of names whose cellphones have been infiltrated by the spyware. A partial list, as seen on the paper’s front page, includes Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias, former Conservative Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, former minister, under both socialist and conservative governments, Michalis Chrysochoidis, the wife of current Development and Investment Minister Adonis Georgiadis, former SYRIZA government spokeswoman and minister Olga Gerovasili, and Alexis Papachelas, executive editor of Kathimerini newspaper.
Documento makes it clear who it things is responsible for the surveillance: Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis himself. “Those spied upon by the Mitsotakis system,” it says.
Vaxevanis says he has asked for an appointment with the Supreme Court’s chief prosecutor on Monday.
“All that has been published in Mr Vaxevanis’ newspaper must be exhaustively investigated by the competent authorities and especially Greek justice,” government spokesman Dimitris Oikonomou said in a statement Saturday. “There’s plenty of narration, [but] evidence is lacking,” he added.
