Greece’s data watchdog on Monday said it had begun an investigation after diaspora Greeks claimed they were sent unsolicited mail from an EU deputy ahead of the European Parliament elections.
The HDPA watchdog said it had received “numerous” complaints, with news reports and social media posts naming the European Parliament member as Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou of the ruling conservative New Democracy party.
A New York-born lawyer who has worked in the United States and Australia, Asimakopoulou denied any wrongdoing and said she welcomed an investigation.
The 56-year-old said her office had sent a newsletter to Greeks abroad, using contact details she had personally collected over the past five years.
“I never received personal details regarding Greeks abroad from the interior ministry or any other government institution,” she said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter.
The Greek interior ministry denied giving out private contact details to candidates. The foreign ministry also insisted voter data was safe.
The shadow minister for diaspora Greeks for the main opposition Syriza party, Othon Iliopoulos, on Monday said he had received mails from the interior ministry and Asimakopoulou “30 seconds apart.”
There was a “leak from the ministry to specific party (candidates),” he told Sto Kokkino radio.
Greece’s conservative government in January passed a reform to enable diaspora Greeks to vote by mail in European Parliament elections, as no polling stations will operate abroad.
Over 13,500 Greeks living in 80 countries have already registered, the interior ministry said.
Source: AFP