Greek Intelligence Surveillance and Political Fallout
The Greek National Intelligence Service, known by its initials EYP, conducted monitoring that extended beyond ordinary channels. It tracked a wide circle that included ministers, high-ranking department secretaries, ministerial advisers, deputies, top military leaders, the former head of the national police, prosecutors, other civil servants, businessmen, and television personalities. The comprehensive roster of those under watch was disclosed by a prominent newspaper in a published document.
Reports indicate that the surveillance operations were carried out under the directive of the country’s prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. The prime minister serves as the political head of EYP by law, which meant he faced direct accountability for the scope and management of these intelligence activities, even if informal denials were later offered. The disclosure underscores how decision-making at the highest political level can influence undercover monitoring programs and raises questions about the balance between national security needs and civil liberties.
Among the eleven individuals listed as having phone taps were Eva Kaili, a deputy aligned with the PASOK-KINAL bloc; Panagiotis Kanellopoulos, a member of the board of the Mytilineos corporate group; Yorgos Filiopoulos, the former chief executive of Enterprise Greece; and a notable journalist and publisher, Yorgos Tragas, who passed away in December 2021. Also named were Yannis Zervakis, an adviser to the prime minister who previously led operations at the Stavros Niarchos Foundation. These names illustrate the blend of political, corporate, media, and civil society figures who figured prominently in the surveillance framework as reported by the source publication.
In addition to the eleven individuals, the publication also identified fourteen others who were under simultaneous listening and observation by EYP. It was noted that Predator spyware was employed to maintain these surveillance activities, a detail that has amplified concerns about the technology used and the permanence of such monitoring. The mention of Predator points to a specific malware toolkit widely discussed in international security circles and underscores ongoing debates about digital privacy and state espionage across democratic systems.
The broader political context surrounding these revelations involved the response from former Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. In light of a Supreme Court decision to investigate the tapping of the phones of prominent politicians and journalists, the government opted to dissolve the parliament and call an early election. This sequence of events reflects how legal scrutiny and judicial rulings can intersect with political strategy in a highly sensitive intelligence affair, potentially reshaping the public calendar and the balance of power within the country.
Analysts note that the episode raises fundamental questions about oversight, accountability, and the appropriate boundaries of intelligence services within a modern democracy. The public discourse centers on whether the monitoring was proportionate and necessary, how information gathered through such methods is handled, and what reforms, if any, should be implemented to safeguard civil liberties while preserving national security imperatives. Observers in Canada and the United States are tracking the case for its possible implications on legal norms and intelligence practices in allied systems, where concerns about executive control and independent scrutiny often mirror debates at home.
As the situation develops, lawmakers and watchdog groups are expected to push for clearer rules governing intelligence operations, independent oversight mechanisms, and transparent reporting that can reassure the public without compromising security interests. The unfolding narrative serves as a reminder that intelligence activities, though aimed at protecting national interests, must remain subject to lawful processes and democratic norms to sustain trust in institutions and the rule of law.