Mitsotakis dares opposition to table no-confidence motion, says he was surveilled under Tsipras

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis threw down the gauntlet at main opposition SYRIZA leader Alexis Tsipras during a parliamentary debate today at the level of party leaders on the National Intelligence Service surveillance affair regarding the phone tapping of centre-left KINAL leader Nikos Androulakis, daring Tsipras to table a no-confidence motion if he does not have the trust of his MPs.

Indeed, Mitsotakis said that if Tsipras does not do so he is a “cowardly” politician.

Such a move, which was reportedly mulled by SYRIZA after the surveillance scandal broke out, would necessarily rally behind the PM all of the MPs of New Democracy, certain factions of which privately have expressed their intense consternation over the affair.

‘I won’t back down, elections at end of four-year term’

Mitsotakis once again vowed to serve out his full, four-year term [he was elected on 7 July, 2019] and declared that he will not allow the “toxic climate” created by surveillance affair to dominate the protracted pre-electoral period

Lashing out at Tsipras, the PM said that four of ex-PM Tsipras’ former ministers – Yannis Panousis, Nadia Valavani, Panagiotis Lafazanis, and Yanis Varoufakis – had charged that their phones were being wiretapped when SYRIZA was in power, though all except for Lafazanis later retracted fully or partially, saying that it was not the government or EYP that was monitoring them.

Retracting his previous accounts Varoufakis made the astounding assertion today that he was being surveilled by German Embassy vans parked in Syntagma Square, but also by the US National Security Agency (NSA).

Mitsotakis says he was surveilled under SYRIZA, tells Androulakis to ‘file a lawsuit’

The PM stuck to his narrative that the surveillance of Androulakis was a political mistake but that it was perfectly legal, and that if the PASOK-KINAL leader disputes the legality of the wiretapping that he should go to court and file a lawsuit.

Mitsotakis also declared that he was under surveillance when SYRIZA was in power and he was main opposition leader, but he did not accuse the then government or EYP of the alleged wiretapping.

“I, too, am informed that I was the victim of wiretapping during the period that I would potentially become pinister. It would interest me to learn what paracentres [unofficial centres of power] were listening to us back then, when Mr. Tsipras was prime minister,” he said.

Opposition parties view Mitsotakis as directly responsible

Because Androulakis is a European Parliament member and not an MP until the next general election, PASOK-KINAL was represented by its parliamentary whip, Michalis Katrinis, a close confidant of the party leader, who, like Tsipras, held Mitsotakis personally responsible for the surveillance of Androulakis, during the party leadership campaign last autumn.

“Mr. Tsipras, you addressed New Democracy MPs and asked them to topple the government. This parliamentary group has been through many difficulties. Some of us were MPs in 2009, 2012, and 2014. In the past, ND’s parliamentary group has proven it is ready to wage any necessary battle,” the PM said.

“If you believe that I do not enjoy the trust of my parliamentary group, table a no-confidence motion right now. Now! If you do not do so, you will demonstrate yet again that you are cowardly,” Mitsotakis told Tsipras.

Mitsotakis also called Tsipras to task over leaks from his party’s MPs about the confidential hearing yesterday of newly the newly-appointed EYP chief, Themistoklis Demiris, who said that no one is «a priori exempted» from surveillance.

Mitsotakis suggests that EYP under SYRIZA surveilled political opponents

Mitsotakis flatly rejected opposition claims that he was personally behind the surveillance of Androulakis.

Opposition parties, however, stress that one of his first acts when elected in 2019 was to place EYP under the direct jurisdiction and supervision of the PM’s office.

“You said that I ordered the surveillance of Androulakis with such certainty that I wonder if you are judging others by your own standards. I looked the Greek people in the eye and said I never knew,” Mitsotakis said of his 8 August nationally televised address.

Mitsotakis claims PMs cannot know who is under surveillance

“Mr. Tsipras, can you offer an assurance that you [as PM] were not listening in on any politician? If you do, you will have committed an illegal act. No prime minister can know. The PM receives classified information. Tell us openly if you knew whom EYP was surveilling. For my part, I do not know. Only the [EYP] director, the Helenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy, and the competent prosecutor know,” Mitsotakis asserted.

‘Constitution does not rule outs surveillance of anyone’

Mitsotakis said that the Constitution does not exempt political divs, journalists, businessmen, diplomats and others from surveillance because it cannot operate on principle at the expense of national security. He said that individuals in those categories are the ones who par excellence act against national security, not the green grocer or the plumber.

“[Intelligence] services must have the capability of surveilling everyone, as long as there is a strong filter of substantiation. I was informed of the surveillance of Androulakis after the fact,” he declared.