Greece's EYP Chief Denies Spyware Allegations

Panagiotis Kontoleon, the former head of Greece's National Intelligence Service (EYP), has denied allegations that the agency used illegal Predator spyware from 2019 to 2022, despite the revelation that it monitored the phones of 15,745 individuals, including journalists and politicians. The scandal erupted in August 2022 after opposition leader Nikos Androulakis and journalist Thanasis Koukakis accused the state of surveillance via phone malware, leading to judicial investigations and the resignations of several officials, including Kontoleon and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' general secretary. Kontoleon testified that all wiretapping was conducted lawfully under prosecutor authorization, and he claimed that neither he nor his political supervisors were informed about operational specifics. Although traces of Predator spyware were found on multiple targets, the government has maintained that it acted within legal boundaries while monitoring Androulakis for national security reasons. The case has raised significant concerns regarding privacy and state surveillance in Greece, prompting further scrutiny from the European Union. Kontoleon's assertions, however, have left the issue of accountability and transparency unresolved.