Mitsotakis and Tsipras clash in parliamentary debate on wiretapping bill
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the leader of the opposition, SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras, clashed in Parliament on Thursday during a debate on a bill on surveillance and wiretapping.
Mitsotakis challenged Tsipras to table a motion of no confidence in the government and reacted to allegations that he had wiretapped members of his own government.
“Is it possible that you are implying that I was monitoring a government minister? Shame on you for even implying it. Do you now feel a little embarrassed?”
He also called on Tsipras to state whether the National Intelligence Service (EYP) had legally monitored politicians, journalists or supreme judges when Tsipras was prime minister.
He accused Tsipras of being a “liar” for stating that “the illegal Predator software that was operating in [Mitsotakis’] office.”
“In my office? Was Predator spyware running on my desktop? You are a liar. I have said many times that the Greek state never procured such software,” said Mitsotakis, who also denied that he received any information on matters of national security “other than from the official EYP channels.”
For his part, the SYRIZA leader described the draft legislation before the house as a “cover-up bill.” He accused Mitsotakis of “cowardice” and “audacity” and demanded that he resign once it is “proven” that he “lied” about whether other political figures are also being wiretapped.
“The characteristics of a guilty person is audacity and cowardice. Mr Mitsotakis hid for a month and a half and avoided coming under parliamentary scrutiny, proving his cowardice. Today, he also proves the second characteristic of guilt, which is audacity.”
