Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is a “destabilising factor” for the country and citizens cannot stand his “authoritarian” attitude, senior socialist lawmaker Michalis Katrinis told EURACTIV after it was unveiled that the secret services bugged the phone of Greek socialist opposition leader and MEP Nikos Androulakis.
by Sarantis Michalopoulos
Part 1
The Greek “Watergate” as described by international media caused a political earthquake in the Mediterranean country, sparking resignations from the prime minister’s secretary general and nephew, Grigoris Dimitriadis and secret services chief Panagiotis Kontoleon.
“Also, the resignation of the PM’s nephew and closest associate raises many questions since it was not done for reasons of avoiding the toxic atmosphere, as was initially said. The sacrifice of Mr. Dimitriadis probably hides a lot and remains to be investigated,” Katrinis noted.
Mitsotakis, however, is hanging on for dear life.
“Mitsotakis is now a destabilising factor. Practices like wiretapping and surveillance of political opponents are common in regimes like Mr. Putin’s or Mr. Erdogan’s… not in a European country,” Katrinis said, adding that EU institutions should step in and help shed light on the scandal.
“Also, the resignation of the PM’s nephew and closest associate raises many questions since it was not done for reasons of avoiding the toxic atmosphere, as was initially said. The sacrifice of Mr. Dimitriadis probably hides a lot and remains to be investigated,” Katrinis noted.
Mitsotakis, however, is hanging on for dear life.
“Mitsotakis is now a destabilising factor. Practices like wiretapping and surveillance of political opponents are common in regimes like Mr. Putin’s or Mr. Erdogan’s… not in a European country,” Katrinis said, adding that EU institutions should step in and help shed light on the scandal.
While the New Democracy government (EPP) has admitted that the secret services bugged Androulakis’ phone, it has failed to explain why hiding behind the “confidentiality” of the process.
The government also says Mitsotakis was unaware that the secret services had hacked the socialist leader’s phone, a denial questioned by many as one of his first steps as prime minister was to bring the agency under his direct supervision.
Katrinis, the head of the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement’s group (S&D) in parliament, said the Greek prime minister has been sending contradictory messages that have exposed him.
“When the surveillance of the president of Pasok was revealed […] the prime minister described it as legal but claimed that he did not know about it and that if he had known it would not have happened”, Katrinis said.
He said the government called Androulakis to inform him privately about the case, but then both the prime minister and Minister of State Gerapetritis “declared that they did not know anything, so what information would they provide him with?” Katrinis wondered.
The government also says Mitsotakis was unaware that the secret services had hacked the socialist leader’s phone, a denial questioned by many as one of his first steps as prime minister was to bring the agency under his direct supervision.
Katrinis, the head of the Pan-Hellenic Socialist Movement’s group (S&D) in parliament, said the Greek prime minister has been sending contradictory messages that have exposed him.
“When the surveillance of the president of Pasok was revealed […] the prime minister described it as legal but claimed that he did not know about it and that if he had known it would not have happened”, Katrinis said.
He said the government called Androulakis to inform him privately about the case, but then both the prime minister and Minister of State Gerapetritis “declared that they did not know anything, so what information would they provide him with?” Katrinis wondered.
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