Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis dodged explanations in his televised address about the tapping of his mobile phone, PASOK-Movement for Change party leader Nikos Androulakis charged on Monday.
Androulakis said that the premier "methodically avoided providing explanations about the deep-state branch set up" in the National Intelligence Service (EYP).
"The 'Predator' spyware was used to tap into my phone, while only a few days earlier I had been placed under surveillance by EYP," Androulakis stated, adding that "we would not have been aware of these dark practices had it not been for the European Parliament's official report."
In its own statements, EYP attributed the interest in the legally approved tapping to requests by the countries of Armenia and Ukraine, an involvement both countries denied through their embassies in Athens.
"The fairytales about the supposed involvement of Armenia and Ukraine in my surveillance were debunked by their respective embassies in the most official and humiliating way for you," he underlined, addressing himself to Mitsotakis.
Calling on the Greek premier, Androulakis said "the reason for my surveillance must be announced immediately," charging that the surveillance, which Mitsotakis admitted was legally approved, was "in violation of the privacy of my communications as an MEP and candidate leader for PASOK-Movement for Change."
He added that he will not accept any cover up or allow Mitsotakis to "trivialise a key case for the separation of powers in our country." The issue, he underlined, is not personal but "it is a matter of democracy.
It pertains to the anxiety of every citizen to wan to live and raise their children in justice and absolute respect for human rights. I will continue the fight so that the justice system, the Greek Parliament and the European institutions bring the entire truth to light."
Meanwhile, the government agrees with SYRIZA's request to open Greek parliament nine days earlier, on August 22, to hold an emergency plenary discussion on the phone-tapping issue of politicians and journalists by National Intelligence Service (EYP), government spokesperson Yannis Economou said on Monday.
Syriza-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras had requested this from Parliament President Constantine Tassoulas earlier on Monday, following revelations about EYP's phone-tapping of PASOK-Movement for Change leader Nikos Androulakis.
"The government is serious about doing all that is required at institutional and parliamentary level to investigate the case of the legal intrusion into the phone of Mr. Androulakis," added Economou.
The next day, Economou said in an interview with public broadcaster ERT1 that "From the first moment that this case came to light, the government has been consistent in its line and its tactics to do what is necessary, in order for us all to get the answers.
"We don't want any shadow left. There should be answers regarding the questions that arise both for Androulakis and for the political world as a whole. These answers, due to the nature of the matter, can only be given in an institutional way.
"Justice will do its job. All the competent authorities and services will help the justice, and what is institutionally provided for this very important issue - we have never denied its seriousness - within the Greek parliament, will be done."
According to the SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance party in a Monday statement, Mitsotakis "did not have the courage to do what is self-evident in every liberal European democracy: to resign."
Responding to a televised message on Monday morning, in which Mitsotakis said that despite its being legally approved by a prosecutor he would not have allowed it had he known of it, SYRIZA called him "arrogant and unrepentant, besides being a liar."
The Prime Minister wanted to be absolved of the issue, the main opposition party said, "asserting that he did not know what was going on on the most nationally sensitive sectors of the executive state."
Mitsotakis "praised the National Intelligence Service for its national role, but in his effort to shirk his own responsibility did not hesitate to present it as a service that is both disorganised and beyond control," SYRIZA said.
Moreover, the party charged, Mitsotakis did not explain why EYP decided to tap Androulakis' phone specifically or touch upon phone-tapping of others, including journalists, politicians, and plain citizens.
Instead, SYRIZA said, Mitsotakis was convincing in his televised address in one respect, that "he is guilty and that he shows no hesitation before any lie, hypocrisy or misinformation in order to save himself."
The story has broken out, however, "and the truth will come to light whether he wants to or not," the party added.
READ MORE: Turkey: New provocations by Akar – “God willing, Turks will swim to Kastellorizo.”