ATHENS – Greece’s major opposition SYRIZA challenged Health Minister Adonis Georgiadis to explain why he hasn’t brought legal action against his phone reportedly being bugged by the National Intelligence Service (EYP.)

In a statement, the Leftists asked, “Why he never prosecuted those who were spying on him,” which was reported by the Greek investigative journalists site Reporters United that said his phone was tapped 11 times in 2021.

That was when he was Development Minister and a top advisor to Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, after EYP earlier admitted bugging the phones of 15,745 people, including PASOK Socialist leader Nikos Androulakis.

The government said phones are monitored for national security but not complied with a court order to explain why Androulakis was a target, although others included other government officials, journalists and business and military leaders.

“Mr.Georgiadis was informed by the Hellenic Authority for Communication Security and Privacy (ADAE), but strangely enough, never took legal action,” said SYRIZA, noting that he had said, “There is no scandal.”

SYRIZA questioned that and asked: “As he held a very high public position, if he did not feel an obligation to protect himself, shouldn’t he at least be obligated to protect his position?” reported the state-run Athens-Macedonia News Agency ANA.

Besides the phone bugging, Predator spyware had been found to be in use in Greece but the government said it wasn’t the culprit and a report by Supreme Court prosecutor Georgia Adilini cleared EYP and all government officials.

She said the discovery of spyware at the same time EYP acknowledged phone bugging was just a coincidence – ridiculed and mocked by critics – and that only four executives of the Athens company making Predator should be charged.

Androulakis told To Vima that, “In the last two years, a scandal of massive proportions has been unfolding in our country, and however much some may try to downplay its significance, they cannot conceal the heavy blow struck against independent institutions and the rule of law in the country.”

He mocked the high court report and said, “Another step was made toward the degradation of our institutions, which once again leaves our country exposed,” noting that the prosecutor said it was a “coincidence” that EYP and someone using Predator were going after the same targets.