Greek Prime Minister Stresses Strong Rule of Law Amid Criticism from Human Rights Groups
In the face of growing criticism from press freedom and human rights organizations, the Greek Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, asserted on Tuesday that the rule of law in the country is "stronger than ever." He attributed the criticism to his political opponents and characterized it as a deliberate campaign of slander against his center-right government.
During a meeting with Roberta Metsola, the President of the European Parliament, who was visiting various European Union capitals ahead of upcoming EU legislative branch elections in June, Mitsotakis defended his government's actions. However, his administration has recently come under scrutiny due to alleged incidents of targeting journalists, activists, and human rights advocates, as highlighted in a letter sent by 17 human rights and press freedom organizations, including Human Rights Watch and the Committee to Protect Journalists, to the European Commission earlier this month.
The letter documented numerous accounts and allegations that the Greek government has either directly targeted these individuals or failed to provide adequate protection against them being subjected to attacks utilizing spyware, coercive lawsuits, and obstructive regulations. This has caused concern among the signatories of the letter, prompting them to raise these issues with the European Commission.
