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Tension in Greek committee over wiretapping as ruling party blocks key witnesses
🇬🇷 Greece /Technology

Tension in Greek committee over wiretapping as ruling party blocks key witnesses

From Ta Nea · () Greek

Translated from Greek, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A Greek parliamentary committee meeting on wiretapping became tense as ruling party lawmakers blocked opposition requests to summon businessman Tal Dilian and former PM official Grigoris Dimitriadis.
  • The opposition, including PASOK and SYRIZA, accused the government of obstructing justice and attempting to cover up the scandal.
  • PASOK withdrew from the committee, denouncing the proceedings as a violation of parliamentary rules and the constitution.

A session of the Greek Parliament's Committee on Institutions and Transparency regarding wiretapping descended into chaos, with ruling party lawmakers rejecting opposition calls to summon Israeli businessman Tal Dilian of Intellexa and former Prime Minister's Secretary General Grigoris Dimitriadis.

parliamentary coup

— PASOKThe PASOK party's description of the committee's proceedings.

The New Democracy (ND) party argued that Dilian and Dimitriadis, being private individuals, did not meet the criteria for mandatory committee summons. This stance provoked strong reactions from the opposition. PASOK labeled the move a "parliamentary coup," while SYRIZA accused the government of "miserable machinations" aimed at a cover-up.

What has changed is that in 2022 Dilian did not want to come because you had obviously colluded. Now he wants to come.

— Mr. DoudounisA PASOK MP questioning the ruling party's shifting stance on summoning Tal Dilian.

PASOK MP Mr. Doudounis presented a document signed by Thanasis Boura, which he claimed showed Boura arguing in 2022 for Dilian's summons, only to oppose it now using the same article. "What has changed is that in 2022 Dilian did not want to come because you had obviously colluded. Now he wants to come," Doudounis stated. Following this, PASOK withdrew from the committee, protesting the procedure and alleged violations of parliamentary rules and the constitution.

miserable machinations

— SYRIZAThe SYRIZA party's characterization of the government's actions.

ND MP Makis Voridis criticized the opposition for stretching the limits of witness summons based merely on interviews. Zoe Konstantopoulou suggested the ND's reaction indicated an "extreme use of surveillance elements." SYRIZA-PS parliamentary group secretary Dionysis Kalamatianos asserted that the government's actions demonstrated a desire to hide the truth and justice for the scandal, predicting that those responsible would be exposed and held accountable regardless of their position.

It is obvious that they do not want light, truth, and justice for the scandal. It is obvious that they are confessing their guilt. No matter how much they try, those responsible are revealed and responsibilities will be assigned no matter how high the involved persons are.

— Dionysis KalamatianosThe SYRIZA-PS parliamentary group secretary commenting on the government's alleged attempts to conceal the wiretapping scandal.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Ta Nea in Greek. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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