Bill tightens wiretapping procedures
Unauthorized spyware use becomes a felony and approval rules are tightened
The government has put to public consultation draft legislation that would update the procedures the country’s intelligence service is required to take to wiretap citizens.
The draft bill upgrades the use of illegal spyware to a felony from a misdemeanor.
The joint legislative initiative, drafted by Justice Minister Konstantinos Tsiaras and Minister of State Giorgos Gerapetritis, is titled “Procedure for lifting the confidentiality of communications, cybersecurity and protection of citizens’ personal data” and was published online on Tuesday.
The ministers say the draft legislation would update the process for lifting the confidentiality of communications and optimize the functioning of the National Intelligence Service (EYP).
The consultation runs until November 22 on the OpenGov website.
The bill comes after revelations during recent months that politicians, journalists and others had their cellphones hacked with the Israeli-made Predator spyware.
The bill does not affect the investigation into those revelations, which opposition politicians say it is too slow.
The first person whose cellphone was revealed to have been tapped was socialist leader Nikos Androulakis.
The state can still purchase spyware, but procedures are tightened and made more transparent. The acquisition must be announced by ministerial decree and approved by the Council of State, Greece’s highest administrative court. The National Intelligence Service can no longer buy spyware on its own.
The bill includes a provision allowing the person whose communications confidentiality is affected to be briefed, but only three years after the fact and provided that the revelation does not negatively impact state security. Androulakis said Tuesday he opposes such a long delay.
To tap politicians’ phones, the Parliament speaker must be notified, and approve.
The agency itself can only be led by a director who is either an active or retired senior diplomat or high-ranking officer. This would preclude the appointment of people such as Panagiotis Kontoleon, a security firm executive, who was made director days after the present conservative government came to power in 2019 and who resigned in the wake of the wiretapping revelations.
