ATHENS – President Katerina Sakellaropoulou received SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance leader Alexis Tsipras at the presidential mansion on Tuesday evening.

During a brief chat in the presence of journalists, Tsipras told Sakellaropoulou that he had requested the meeting to express his “deep concern about phenomena that disrupt the orderly functioning of the state,” referring to the wiretapping issue.

Sakellaropoulou said that this is “a serious matter, one that is interlinked with the functioning of institutions and the quality of democracy.” Moreover, she noted that she has always pointed out the need for resolving the issue through legal procedures.

“We are a state governed by the rule of law, and this matter is being dealt with on a case-by-case basis by the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security & Privacy (ADAE), by the Parliament, and also by judicial authorities – where a part of this issue is being handled,” she said.

Sakellaropoulou added that “the constitution and its laws provide for the process of lifting confidentiality and informing related parties.”