The scandal known as “Greece’s Watergate” has entered a new phase, with four individuals appearing in court in Athens on Wednesday over their alleged role in the Predator spyware affair that has rocked Greek politics for more than two years.
The case centres on the illegal surveillance of ministers, senior military officers, judges, journalists, and opposition figures through Predator – a sophisticated spyware program marketed by Intellexa, an Israeli company based in Athens. The software can turn a mobile phone into a surveillance device, accessing calls, messages, cameras, and microphones.
The affair came to light in 2022 when Nikos Androulakis, now leader of the socialist PASOK party and then a member of the European Parliament, was alerted by EU IT experts that his phone had received a malicious text designed to install Predator. He later discovered he was also under surveillance by Greece’s National Intelligence Service (EYP) “for national security reasons.”
The revelations shook the government of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who had placed EYP directly under his supervision upon taking office in 2019. The scandal led to the resignations of EYP chief Panagiotis Kontoleon and Mitsotakis’ top aide and nephew, Grigoris Dimitriadis.
An investigation by Greece’s Data Protection Authority later found at least 87 individuals had been targeted by Predator, with 27 of them also monitored by EYP. Among them were ministers and high-ranking military officials, raising suspicions of coordinated surveillance.
The government has denied any involvement, insisting the overlap was coincidental and stressing that Predator’s use was illegal in Greece at the time. A 2022 law subsequently permitted state use of spyware under limited conditions.
The four defendants – two Greeks and two Israelis – are charged with misdemeanours linked to the marketing of Predator. Critics, however, argue the trial sidesteps the deeper issues.
“What began as a political scandal has now evolved into an institutional scandal, tainting both the judiciary and the independent authorities,” said investigative reporter Thanasis Koukakis, himself a surveillance target.
Journalist Eliza Triantafyllou of Inside Story, who has covered the affair from the outset, warned that the legal proceedings risk trivialising the matter:
“If someone has not followed the wiretapping scandal, they would think that four individuals, on their own initiative … tapped the phones of 87 people in Greece, using spyware marketed exclusively to state intelligence agencies worldwide.”
Despite widespread criticism, no government officials have been charged or called as witnesses. Opposition parties accuse the government of concealing the truth, noting that raids on Intellexa’s offices in Athens yielded no evidence months after the scandal broke.
Former ADAE president Christos Rammos, who played a key role in uncovering the surveillance, described the affair as “a traumatic experience for our democracy,” citing “an open war” against independent oversight bodies.
International scrutiny has also been intense. The European Parliament’s PEGA committee, which investigates spyware use across the bloc, accused Athens of obstructing its inquiries. Former rapporteur Sophie in ‘t Veld said the Greek government made “every possible attempt to conceal the truth,” warning that spyware has been used to “silence critical voices” and “stifle scrutiny.”
A 2024 Supreme Court report claimed there was “clearly no connection” between Predator and government officials, a finding government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis said closed the matter. But critics remain unconvinced, noting the chilling effect on journalists, politicians, and ordinary citizens.
