Former Greek Foreign Minister Yorgos Katrongalos called parliamentary hearings on the appointment of a new head of the national intelligence service to replace the ousted president for spying for the opposition humiliating.
Hearings were held on the appointment of the former Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry Themistocles Demiris as the new head of the intelligence service, only the ruling New Democracy party supported his appointment, all opposition parties opposed it.
In a statement after the committee meeting, Katrungalos said: “The presence of the appointed head of the intelligence service on the committee was a new mockery of parliamentary procedures. The government not only tried to find a consensus to eliminate institutional loopholes, but by its decision, it first appointed the president, and then allegedly brought him to the committee after, it is not surprising that all the opposition parties voted against this proposal, even those that would normally abstain.”
According to the deputy, this fictitious measure not only refuted, but also confirmed the opinion of the average Greek citizen that both politicians and journalists are under surveillance.
Katrongalos said the opposition will not allow the prime minister to evade responsibility: “We will not allow Mr. Mitsotakis to escape, and we will demand and insist that the natural perpetrators of illegal surveillance, the former head of the National Intelligence Service, the prime minister’s nephew and close associates, to hold accountable, and we will also insist. The New York Times writes that he is in the heart of our country named Kyriakos Mitsotakis. He will not escape punishment.
The New York Times published an article titled “Mildew in the Heart of Greece Now Clear,” which addressed the issue of surveillance, noting that it was reminiscent of the dark days of the war council.
The issue of surveillance in Greece has become a major political scandal. And it turned out that the secret services tapped the phone of the opposition politician, former MP Nikos Androlakis, during his tenure as leader of the Pasok Kenal party, and the ruling party was interested in electing his opponent as party chairman. In addition, journalist Thanasis Kokakis was wiretapped.
The head of Greek intelligence, Panagiotis Kontolio, and the prime minister’s general secretary, the prime minister’s nephew, Gregoris Dimitriadis, were fired.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis went on television in a speech saying that wiretapping of a politician is legal with the permission of the Attorney General, but is politically unacceptable and should not happen as it involves a well-known political figure, adding: “It was a mistake, he did not know it, and it is clear that he would never have allowed it.” Mitsotakis said he was not going to resign, but control and oversight of the security service would be strengthened.
Source: RIA Novosti