In plenary the «battle» of the political leaders on the surveillance

Political leaders are convening in the plenary session today, Friday, following a request by SYRIZA President Alexis Tsipras for an out-of-order debate on the topic of «the surveillance of his political opponents and journalists by the EYP, which reports to the prime minister.» Alexis Tsipras submitted a request for a debate among political leaders following revelations that the president of PASOK–Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, and journalist Thanasis Koukakis.

Today’s debate among political leaders is taking place despite the fact that opposition parties have requested that the new director of the EYP, ThemisIstoklis Demiris, the former EYP director Panagiotis Kontoleontas, the appellate prosecutor responsible for the EYP, Vasiliki Vlachou, the former Secretary-General to the Prime Minister, Grigoris Dimitriadis, and the president of the Hellenic Data Protection Authority (ADAE), Christos Rammos.

This request was made with urgency following the hearing of the new director of the EYP, Themistoklis Demiris, as part of the Committee on Institutions and Transparency’s deliberations on his appointment, during which Mr. Demiris reportedly stated, according to opposition parties, that «no one is exempt a priori» from surveillance. This was preceded by a statement from government spokesperson Yiannis Oikonomou that the government and the prime minister are unaware of any other surveillance operations. In this context, all opposition parties are expected today to call on the prime minister to explain why the EYP was monitoring Nikos Androulakis and which other political figures may have been targeted bysurveillance.

Today’s debate is just one step in the roadmap for the investigation that will proceed in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Rules of Procedure regarding the monitoring of Nikos Androulakis. The next step will take place next Monday, when the PASOK-KINAL proposal to establish an investigative committee will be put to a vote in the plenary session, while a decision by the Committee on Institutions is also pending regarding when and how it will proceed on its own part.

The debate among political leaders is scheduled for 11:00 a.m. and will begin with a speech by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.