Greece's Supreme Court announced on Tuesday that a two-year investigation has found no evidence that the national intelligence service employed the infamous Predator malware, which was central to a recent wiretap scandal.
"State intelligence… was not involved with the Predator spyware or any similar software," stated Supreme Court prosecutor Georgia Adeilini.
The prosecutor's office undertook a "comprehensive investigation of every aspect of the case," Adeilini added.
The scandal came to light in 2022 when it was revealed that state intelligence, which operates under the prime minister's office, had been surveilling several ministers and officials. Among those targeted were the prosecutor of the state intelligence agency EYP and the head of Greek police, according to a media investigation by French online newspaper Mediapart, German magazine Der Spiegel, and Greek outlet Reporters United, which also cited the use of Predator malware.
While the objective of the state wiretaps remains classified and undisclosed, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis later informed parliament that the surveillance was legal.
The incident led to the resignations of Greece’s intelligence chief and Mitsotakis' nephew—who was a senior aide in the prime minister's office—after it was revealed that European Parliament lawmaker Nikos Androulakis, who subsequently became the leader of the Greek socialist party, had also been legally monitored.
Despite numerous inquiries, Androulakis has yet to receive an official explanation for the surveillance.
In January 2023, the government survived a no-confidence vote related to the wiretap scandal with ease.
The criminal investigation commenced in April 2022 and was handed over to the Supreme Court in October.
Over 40 witnesses were called to testify, and Greece sought assistance from U.S. and Swiss authorities.
Critics have claimed that the delayed start of the investigation compromised critical evidence.
Although the Supreme Court found "sufficient" evidence to prosecute several unnamed telecommunications executives for failing to ensure the confidentiality of phone communications, any resulting charges are expected to be misdemeanors at most.
In November, Reporters Without Borders criticized Greece for allegedly hampering the investigation, claiming, "The probe is at a complete standstill and Greek institutions seem determined not to let it progress."