Some changes made to draft surveillance bill
The government has decided to make some changes to the draft bill on surveillance and wiretappings as the result of the public consultation process.
The changes introduce greater accountability, with the National Intelligence Agency (EYP) and the police’s counterterrorism division having to justify their requests for surveillance in much greater detail.
Also, where the surveillance of the communications of politicians is warranted, the parliament speaker will have the final say ahead of any prosecutor.
The government, however, insists on the clause about informing the subjects of wiretapping who were not found guilty of any crime three years after the event. It says security reasons dictate so. This is expected to be a major point of contention when the bill is debated, most likely on December 7-8.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has said he will be present at the debate.
