ATHENS – Greece’s New Democracy government, which acknowledged the phones of 15,745 people were bugged over national security concerns, welcomed the proposal for a European Union Media Freedom Act but said that journalists already had protections.

Government spokesman Giannis Oikonomou said there are legislative initiatives “with regard to the protection of freedom of expression and pluralism, the protection of the journalistic profession, the support of press businesses and the strengthening of transparency and independence of the media,” reported the state-run Athens-Macedonia News Agency AMNA.

The phone of at least one journalist, financial reporter Thanasis Koukakis, was being monitored and he said Predator spyware the government denies having or using was also installed on it as well.

The Media Freedom Act includes safeguards against political interference in editorial decisions and against surveillance and is aimed at preventing media concentrations and would set up an independent European Board for Media Services, composed of national media authorities.