SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis charged in a social media post on Thursday that "it's not enough that there are new revelations about the dark pathways of wiretapping by Maximos Mansion," referring to the government headquarters, but "we also have a character assassination of decent people - like Mr. Rammos - taking place in our country now."
Christos Rammos is head of the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy, which is looking into the wiretapping scandal.
The main opposition leader referred to a comment by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Parliament, who criticised Rammos for a so-called personal agenda.
"See how a regime can lead an honest public official to despair," Kasselakis said, and make him "feel that his professional and personal reputation was affected by Kyriakos Mitsotakis' reference in Parliament."
Androulakis' challenge of wiretapping regulation
A petition by PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) leader Nikos Androulakis, who is challenging a regulation related to wiretapping, will be discussed by the Council of State (CoS) in its plenary session on Friday.
Androulakis resorted to the CoS after the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE) rejected his request to show him the file of information collected by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) after his immunity was lifted without his knowledge.
The Authority is prohibited by the Constitution from providing this information, and the socialist leader is resorting to Greece's highest court for civil administration cases, to request the cancellation of ADAE's decision and to question the constitutionality of the regulation.
His argument is that regulation of law 4790/2021 that does not allow ADAE to notify a person they are being spied upon for security reasons contravenes the Greek Constitution and fundamental European treaties, among others.
Four issues Kasselakis raised during meeting with Mitsotakis
There were four issues SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Stefanos Kasselakis raised during his courtesy call to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the main opposition party's sources said on Wednesday.
According to the sources, the meeting at the premier's office in Parliament related to the following:
- the phonetapping scandal, with Kasselakis requesting that the prime minister, as head of the National Intelligence Service (EYP), lift security protection so that EYP staff may serve as witnesses to the judicial authorities;
- following the main opposition party leader's visit on Tuesday to the Supreme Council for Civil Personnel Selection (ASEP), he asked that all public organization administration be staffed through the agency;
- the 'source of wealth' (pothen esches) statements be changed by law so they reflect the true assets of those obliged to file them (e.g. politicians, mass media owners, journalists, and bank managers);
- abolishing any immunity or privileged status of bank managers, public organizations, funds, etc.
The two leaders also discussed the situation in Gaza and the Middle East, and economy issues as well, sources said.
Avgeri attacks plans to raise taxes on self-employed
Main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance spokesperson Dora Avgeri on Thursday strongly criticised the new tax measures targeting the self-employed announced by the government, saying that these confirmed that the government's election campaign pledges to support the middle class were false.
"Imposing a new tax... New Democracy is burdening hundreds of thousands of self-employed and freelance professionals that belong to the middle and lower strata. The first estimates, before the final statutes of the law take shape, show that 473,000 tax payers will have to pay an additional 1,444 euros a year on average," she said.
The same government, she added, had resolutely refused to take real measures to fight tax evasion and smuggling or to really tax the massive profits of energy giants, who were enriching themselves at the consumers' expense with state subsidies.
"SYRIZA-PA, steadfastly oriented to the support of lower incomes and the middle class, insists on the proposals it submitted before the elections: a tax-free income for all at 10,000 euros [annually], abolition of the entrepreneurship levy, generous settlements of debts to the tax office and social insurance funds with a haircut of the main debt and 120 installments and a Special Professional Account to avoid the confiscations and the seizing of deposits of small and very small enterprises," she concluded.
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