OUR follow-up case in Greece was today at the center of the PEGAS Committee European Parliamentwith hearings from Greek journalists and officials.

PEGAS, a European Parliament committee set up to investigate the use of spyware by EU governments, summoned journalist Tanasis Koukakis, who denounced his Spyware Predator surveillance, and journalist Stavros Malihoudis, who also denounced his followers. up and the journalist Elisa Triantafilou, who is investigating the case. Three journalists testified for more than an hour and a half, answering questions from MEPs of the PEGA committee.

Thanasis Koukakis and Stavros Malihoudis claimed that their journalistic work led to their targeting and monitoring of their phones. Mr. Koukakis noted that his monitoring would not have been placed in the right context without an EP investigation committee and an MEP phone check, which revealed that MEP Nikos Androulakis’ phone had also been attacked. “You have an additional reason to investigate this case,” said T. Koukakis, addressing the members of the European Parliament. “When the EMP was watching MEP Nikos Androulakis, they also heard him talking to you,” he added.

“Weakness” of the EU legislative framework.

Among other things, T. Koukakis touched upon the weakness of the EU legislative framework. to check spyware. “The legal framework in Europe is running at kilobyte speeds when spyware is 5G technology. We are not fortified in all countries,” the Greek journalist said.

For his part, S.Malihudis noted that during his monitoring, negotiations began on the creation of an international network of journalists on refugee issues, as a result of which confidential information about journalists in other countries was disclosed.

Elisa Triantafillou spoke about her research project on the use of spyware in Greece. Ms. Triantafillou found that official investigations into privacy breaches seem to be moving slowly, while investigations into media leaks seem to move much faster. He argued that credible investigations into the activities of the spyware provider Intellexa were needed.

MEPs agreed that spy companies should be investigated as a matter of urgency, pointing to the risk of destroying evidence, while emphasizing the problem’s negative impact on democracy, media freedom and freedom of expression. MEPs have shown interest in issuing licenses to export spyware to Greece and Cyprus.

In the second part of the debate, the MPs spoke with the Minister of the Ministry of Digital Governance, Athanasios Staveris, with the Minister of the Representative of the Ministry of Justice, Panos Alexandris, and with the President of ADAE, Christos Rammos, who spoke about the oversight role of the Office and the legal restrictions it faces in terms of prosecution.

^{Source: APE-MEB}