Greece Investigates Alleged Voter Data Breach

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The Greek data protection authority has launched an investigation into allegations of a breach of voter data following complaints from diaspora Greeks who received unsolicited mail from an EU deputy prior to the European Parliament elections.

The EU deputy in question, Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou, a member of Greece's ruling New Democracy party, has denied any wrongdoing and has expressed openness to an investigation.
Asimakopoulou explained that her office had sent a newsletter to Greeks living abroad using contact information she had personally collected over the past five years.

The Greek interior ministry has denied providing private contact details to candidates, while the foreign ministry has assured the public that voter data is secure.
Othon Iliopoulos, the shadow minister for diaspora Greeks from the opposition Syriza party, claimed to have received emails from both the interior ministry and Asimakopoulou within moments of each other, alluding to a potential leak of information from the ministry to specific candidates.
Greece's conservative government recently enacted a reform allowing diaspora Greeks to vote by mail in the European Parliament elections in light of no polling stations being established overseas.
More than 13,500 Greeks residing in 80 different countries have already registered to vote, according to the interior ministry.

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