- Title: Protesters call on Greek PM to resign over wiretapping scandal
- Date: 25th August 2022
- Summary: ATHENS, GREECE (AUGUST 25, 2022) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING AND CHANTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT SLOGANS PROTESTERS CARRYING BANNER READING: (Greek) "DEMOCRACY DEMANDS THAT THE PRIVACY OF THE SECRET SERVICE IS LIFTED - THE PRIME MINISTER MUST RESIGN - LAWYERS' INITIATIVE" PROTESTER AND LAWYER, THANASIS KAMPAGIANNIS, MARCHING BEHIND BANNER AND CHANTING: (Greek) "DOWN WITH NEW DEMOCRACY" KAMPAGIANNIS MARCHING AND CHANTING: (Greek) "STRIKE" HUNDREDS OF PROTESTERS MARCHING ON STREETS PROTESTERS MARCHING, BANNER READING: (Greek) "DOWN WITH THE GOVERNMENT OF WAR, POVERTY AND RACISM" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS OUTSIDE THE GREEK PARLIAMENT VARIOUS OF GREEK POLICE STANDING IN FRONT OF PROTESTERS VARIOUS OF WOMAN HOLDING BANNER READING (Greek) "DOWN WITH NEW DEMOCRACY" POLICE AND PROTESTERS (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PROTESTER, MICHALIS KRITHARIDIS, MEMBER OF LEFTIST MERA25 PARTY, SAYING: "We are protesting against the encroaching authoritarianism of this government which, on the one hand, keeps pushing citizens into poverty and on the other degrades the democratic freedom of citizens, journalists, politicians... This is not democracy, this is a regime created by the government of Mr. (Kyriakos) Mitsotakis, and what we'd like to see happen tomorrow morning - even better, yesterday - is for him to resign and call for elections." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PROTESTER, THANASIS KAMPAGIANNIS, HUMAN RIGHTS LAWYER, SAYING: "This is a deep insult to the constitution and democratic rights, it's truly akin to a scandal on the level of Watergate. When political opponents are being surveilled, it is the responsibility of the prime minister. We are afraid for our rights, our freedoms; our privacy, and the privacy of our telecommunications is a basic right in any democratic government. That's why we are here today, to ask the prime minister to take responsibility and resign." (SOUNDBITE) (Greek) PROTESTER, GRIGORIS, WHO DID NOT WISH TO GIVE HIS LAST NAME, AGED 23, TELECOMMUNICATIONS WORKER, SAYING: "We've become a laughingstock abroad - we don't know who is being surveilled, by whom or what - but we do know why. As the (energy) crisis deepens, this kind of phenomena will become more commonplace, so we have to fight against them." VARIOUS OF ELDERLY WOMAN HOLDING BANNER
- Embargoed: 8th September 2022 19:58
- Keywords: GOVERNMENT SURVEILLANCE GREEK GOVERNMENT PHONE TAPPING SCANDAL PEGASUS SPYWARE PREDATOR SPYWARE
- Location: ATHENS, GREECE
- City: ATHENS, GREECE
- Country: Greece
- Topics: Fundamental Rights/Civil Liberties,Europe,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA001071425082022RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Several hundred protesters called on Greece's conservative government to resign on Thursday (August 25) over a wiretapping scandal, a day ahead of a parliamentary debate over the issue.
The case, which broke last month, has sparked uproar, with opposition parties demanding a thorough investigation, after it emerged Socialist Party (PASOK) leader Nikos Androulakis' phone had been tapped by the National Intelligence Service's (EYP) in 2021.
About 300 demonstrators marched through Athens chanting "Down with New Democracy" and other anti-government slogans, after gathering outside parliament to attend a demonstration called by left-wing groups.
"When political opponents are being surveilled, it is the responsibility of the prime minister," said protester and human rights lawyer, Thanasis Kampagiannis.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, whose party faces an election next year, said earlier this month he was unaware that Androulakis' phone had been tapped. He also sacked EYP's chief and his own top aide over the phone tapping.
(Production: Stelios Misinas, Phoebe Fronista) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
- Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2022. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
- Usage Terms/Restrictions: None