Hours: That’s how long it took for the Communications Privacy Authority (ADAE) committee set up to investigate a public complaint by PASOK-KINAL president Nikos Androulakis about an attempt to tap his mobile phone. The Committee was formed last Wednesday to detect EYP’s breach of confidentiality, on Thursday its members visited Mr Androulakis’ mobile operator, and on Thursday afternoon the Prime Minister was informed that EPM had tapped Mr Androulakis’ phone . Since then, Maximus has been engaged in a fight for reparations, leading to what the opposition calls “the wiretapping scandal”. The government’s line is “everything is open.” Thus, Maximos said that he would respond positively to a request to convene a Committee on Institutions and Transparency, as well as to a request for a commission of inquiry.

Judging by the sequence of events, it was clear that the AIAEA’s intervention would reveal the “legitimate hearing” mechanism. This may partly explain the anger with which, according to his colleagues, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis reacted when he was informed of the surveillance. Maxim’s palace was exposed and taken by surprise. For the question, the solution of which, the prime minister’s interlocutors assure, would be completely different if it were solved better and the government apparatus was informed. An update at the starting point where the EMP accepted, according to government sources, a request from foreign agencies to monitor Mr. Androulakis. The same sources state unequivocally that the government would never consent to surveillance of a political figure.

The second level of surprise in the entourage of prime ministers arose, they said, from the realization that there was such an important dimension to the issue that had dominated political debate in recent weeks and people in the know felt no need to inform. The government will again be exposed, but it will be able to better manage and take the initiative of the movements instead of providing a platform for criticism that if there were no ADAE, this issue would have been forgotten.

The resignations of EMP head Panagiotis Kondoleontos and Prime Minister secretary Grigoris Dimitriadis were forced steps in a managed crisis management process. Because, admittedly, the government is called upon to deal with the worst political crisis of its time in office. The opposition can promote an issue that supports the public interest. And the lines of attack of the opposition have already been drawn: either the government knew, which means it is being subjected to serious violations of rights, or it was in the dark, so the uncontrolled centers act under surveillance, without reporting. A side effect is that the electoral appeal debate, which the prime minister had postponed due to personal insistence, has come back into prominence even as a necessary escape from a particularly toxic environment.

Since Thursday

The resignation of Kondoleontos was deemed necessary by Maximos and the decision was taken from Thursday evening, but the issue of Dimitriadis was not raised. In addition, the EYP commander bears full responsibility for the choice made in the Androulakis case. Moreover, just a week ago, the head of the EMP appeared in the Committee on Institutions and Transparency, declaring a complete disregard for Andrulaki’s complaints, and now the opposition attributes deliberate misinformation and an attempt to conceal it to him. In clarification he was asked to give on Thursday evening, he appeared to have said that the request for surveillance of Androulakis had been made by foreign agencies in accordance with the relevant procedures, and that the criteria established for such requests by EYP were all met. However, he could not convincingly answer why, in such an important issue regarding the monitoring of a political figure, despite the fact that Mr. Androulakis had not yet become president of PASOK-KINAL, he believed that he could decide on his own without properly informing the request.

It was clear that the ADAE initiative would reveal the mechanics of the PASOK president’s trial.

Given that the opposition’s overreaction is not taken into account, Condoleonto’s resignation was not enough. The Prime Minister summoned Grigoris Dimitriadis to his office, told him that there was no clear picture of the depth of the matter, and asked him to resign. Perhaps the most anticipated move from Maximos. For some time now, Dimitriadis has been persistently in the field of view of journalistic investigations and, of course, of the opposition, which seeks to connect the prime minister’s inner circle with surveillance as much as possible. It was assumed that the release of the results of the ADAE investigation would trigger a new, even more intense cycle of attacks on Dimitriadis, which Maximos’ sources called the “cycle of toxicity”.

In addition to being targeted by the opposition, part of the responsibility for the mistakes in this particular case falls on Mr. Dimitriadis. Because, as they say from the headquarters of Maximos, according to his position, he should have known, it was his duty to be informed in order to inform the Prime Minister.

However, the information says that for a week, Mr. Dimitriadis limited his mobility to Maxima and canceled all his meetings with ministers and government officials. Some interpret this as a clear indication that the former Prime Minister’s secretary was on hold and without recent developments, the attacks he was receiving continued and seemed to continue. So the idea of ​​replacing it has already begun to be cultivated, which eventually turned into a one-way street.

Update

From the government, immediately after the announcement of the resignation of Dimitriadis and Kontoleontos, they provided information about the findings of the DIAE, confirming the operation organized by EEM. At the same time, they were quick to state that they were at the disposal of Mr. Androulakis for any additional information that might be required beyond the specific information that the EMH, under the new administration, has committed to provide to the President of PASOK-KINAL.

Although the announcement of the resignations was initially associated with the timing of their defeat by the government now, so that this issue was forgotten in the August bustle, the subsequent one does not seem to confirm this version. Similarly, the launch of parliamentary procedures speeds up developments.