Stavros He discovered it by chance while opening a newspaper any day last November. Your name, Stavros Malichudisin the text or leaked documentsbut the details were clear: according to the Greek newspaper “myth”a journalist investigating the story of an underage refugee imprisoned on a Greek island, espionage By the Greek secret service EYP.
The story was his. “I contacted the newspaper and they confirmed it was me. my name was blacked outbut they were investigating that I was being spied on and who I was talking to, what they were telling me,” explains Malichudis, and at that moment he was worried, paralyzedeverything was complicated.
“It was a very difficult month because for me afraid to call someone, refer to a resource. He couldn’t work because he thought he had put himself in. danger to the person speaking. I didn’t know exactly what it was, what they knew about me, what they wanted. But now, knowing everything we know, Calmer‘ says the journalist.
Much is known now. In recent months – especially since August – independent Greek correspondents have said that the Greek government’s espionage at your discretion at the last damage. Few survived: among the spied except journalists opposition leaders, businessmen, human rights lawyers, anti-vaccine activists and until ministers and members of the Executive Committee of Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
According to the publications in the Greek press, the previous prime minister Alexis Tsipras was spied on during his tenure; as leader of the country’s third party last year, PASOK, Nikos Andrulakisand current foreign and finance ministers, Nikos Dendias Y Jristos Staikuras, between a very long etc. Greece will celebrate parliamentary elections in the spring of next year.
epicenter of the storm
Since the revelation of the espionage against Andrulakis—first by traditional media and then by Israeli Predator software—fingers have pointed in every direction, but above all, one direction: himself. misotakis and niece, Grigoris Dimitriadis. By August, Dimitriadis was head of his uncle’s office, and he—and his office—was placed under his uncle’s command. Greek secret service.
“After the revelations we began to make, Mitsotakis assured: i knew nothing. The investigative reporter keeps saying, “We have nothing to do with the Predator and I didn’t know about the surveillance of Andrulakis.” Thodoris Chondrogiannosmember of the network Reporters Unitedhas been at the forefront of revelations.
“There’s no way he didn’t know what was going on. There’s no way his niece and his secretary could do anything to him. very large scale and that the prime minister does not know. Mitsotakis says he literally doesn’t know what it is. on the other side of the wall from his office. Seems impossible to me. It seems that more than anything else, they are playing their cards. ‘We are stupid’ instead of saying ‘we are bad’because then they would have to resign,” continues Chondrogiannos.
This fall, the Greek Parliament held a commission of inquiry – those who are systematically blocked by the majority of the government party – new democracy—.
There is also an open forensic investigation and two active judicial proceedings: one to clarify how press releases were produced; the second one defamation lawsuit Dimitriadis – Mitsotakis’ nephew – against Chondrogiannos and a few other reporters.
Security as an excuse
In all cases of admitted spies—they are in the minority—the secret services said that eavesdropping “”National SecurityThis is the case, for example, of Stavros Malichudis, whose reporting work focused on the Greek authorities’ ill-treatment of migrants and refugees.
“National security is absolutely a very important legal entity for any society – explains Spydrion VlachopulosProfessor of Law University of Athens—. But it is a favor to be interpreted. firmly and only cover events that constitute a crime. real danger against democracy Y territorial integrity In other words: it cannot be used as a tool of national security. excuse for any other purpose.”
“Looking at the alleged recent events, tens of thousands of phone calls It has been approved every year in a small country like Greeceunfortunately, it is impossible to ignore the fact that this ‘national security’ is used as a simple excuse for espionage. political dissidents and journalists‘, continues Vlachopulos.
According to Chondrogiannos, the zero result of all listening shows his nature. “No one was spied on. prosecution against anyone. This shows that national security is used as an excuse. If there were real reasons, he would have gotten something out of it. But no,” says the journalist.
“All we know is that after the scandals came to light, the secret services they destroyed their documents About Andrulakis and Thanasis Kukakis [otro periodista espiado]. We do not have any expectations for this. royal punishment. I am pessimistic; I don’t think justice will be served. After the resignation of Dimitriadis, the government all over the world, [el sobrino del primer ministro]to destroy all necessary evidence,” continues Chondrogiannos.
Meanwhile, Stavros Malichudis continues. hope. His situation was like the others. He doesn’t know the reason for everything. The reason he gets it is always the same: national security. “It’s been a year,” says the reporter, “and it’s still I do not know why They spied on me.”