ATHENS – Stefanos Kasselakis, the newly-elected leader of the main opposition SYRIZA, said the New Democracy government is trying to take over the country’s privacy agency that had been investigating a wiretapping scandal.

Kasselakis said an “institutional coup” was underway to take control of the boards of the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE) and the National Council for Radio and Television (ESR).

That came after Parliament President Konstantinos Tassoulas, from New Democracy, called for a meeting of the body that approves appointments in independent authorities.

Two members of ADAE, which is investigating the wiretapping scandal, are expected to be replaced and a third to be promoted to the position of Vice-President, sources not named told Kathimerini.

“Without any consultation or debate, the government is attempting to change the composition of the boards of the ADAE and ESR. The target: to cover up its serious responsibilities for the phone tapping issues and press freedoms,” Kasselakis posted on the social media platform X.

“I call on them to stop. I call on all the parties to protect democracy in Greece,” he added, speaking after eight press freedom groups from Europe came to Greece for a second mission and said the government was stifling journalists and media.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government was at the center of the phone bugging that was carried out by the National Intelligence Service (EYP) – he said he was never informed – and monitored the phones of 15,475 people.