分类： politics

An Athens misdemeanor court has delivered landmark convictions in Greece’s extensive wiretapping scandal, sentencing four individuals for their role in illegally surveilling prominent citizens using Predator spyware. The case, widely dubbed “Greece’s Watergate,” exposed systematic targeting of 87 high-profile figures including government ministers, military officials, and journalists.

The convicted defendants—two Greek nationals, Felix Bitzios and Yiannis Lavranos, and two Israeli citizens, Tal Dilian and Sara Hamou—were found guilty of violating telecommunications confidentiality and illegally accessing personal data. Despite being tried in absentia, each received suspended sentences pending appeal that could theoretically reach 126 years, though Greek law limits actual service to eight years for misdemeanor convictions.

Notably, the court rejected defense pleas for mitigation, with the presiding judge noting defendants appeared to act alongside “unknown third parties” potentially including Greek and foreign intelligence officials. This finding prompted judicial authorities to refer case documents to the Athens Prosecutor’s Office for potential espionage investigations.

The scandal originated in summer 2022 when Nikos Androulakis, now leader of Greece’s Socialist Pasok party, was alerted by European Parliament IT specialists about a malicious text message targeting his device. Subsequent revelations showed Androulakis had been simultaneously tracked by Greece’s National Intelligence Service (EYP) for “national security reasons.”

Predator spyware, developed by Athens-based Israeli firm Intellexa, enables comprehensive device access including messages, cameras, and microphones. Though illegal in Greece at the time of deployment, controversial 2022 legislation later legalized state surveillance software under strict conditions.

The verdict has intensified scrutiny around Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’s administration, which directly supervised EYP during the surveillance period. While Mitsotakis acknowledged the scandal, no government officials have faced charges, prompting accusations of institutional cover-ups.

Financial reporter Thanasis Koukakis, among those surveilled, told BBC the ruling provided satisfaction regarding privacy violations while affirming Greece’s rule of law safeguards. Legal representatives for victims emphasized the judgment must now trigger thorough investigation into potential felony offenses by additional conspirators.

A German administrative court has issued a significant injunction preventing the country’s domestic intelligence service from classifying the Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as a proven right-wing extremist organization while litigation continues. The Cologne-based court’s decision temporarily suspends the Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz (BfV)’s controversial designation made in May 2023, which had characterized AfD as threatening Germany’s democratic foundations through its anti-migrant rhetoric and activities.

The judicial intervention comes as response to AfD’s legal challenge against the intelligence agency’s assessment. Although the court acknowledged evidence of anti-constitutional elements within certain party factions, it determined that these elements did not sufficiently establish a comprehensive pattern of systemic extremism across the entire organization to justify the designation at this procedural stage.

This interim ruling represents a procedural victory for AfD, Germany’s primary opposition party, which secured second place in the most recent federal election. The suspension of the extremist label means the BfV cannot implement enhanced surveillance measures against the party until the court delivers its final verdict, for which no timeline has been established.

The case has attracted international attention, previously prompting diplomatic exchanges between German and U.S. officials regarding the appropriate boundaries of political designation and monitoring. AfD leadership has celebrated the injunction as a triumph for democratic principles, while the intelligence agency must now await judicial clearance before proceeding with its constitutional oversight responsibilities.

In a significant development following years of post-Brexit uncertainty, the United Kingdom and European Union have finalized a comprehensive border agreement for Gibraltar that introduces a novel dual-check system while maintaining the territory’s unique status.

The 1,000-page draft treaty, published Thursday, establishes that Spanish border officials will conduct secondary Schengen-style checks at Gibraltar’s airport and port facilities following initial screenings by Gibraltarian authorities. This arrangement notably avoids Gibraltar’s formal accession to the Schengen zone while addressing border control requirements.

Spanish guards operating within designated special zones will be granted specific powers to “arrest, search and interview travellers where justified during border control operations,” according to the treaty provisions. The agreement paves the way for eventual removal of ‘La Verja’ – the 1.2km border fence separating Gibraltar from Spain, which approximately half of Gibraltar’s workforce crosses daily.

Spanish Foreign Minister José Manuel Albares celebrated the arrangement as eliminating “the last wall in continental Europe,” while UK officials compared the system to existing procedures at London’s St Pancras station where both British and French officials conduct border checks for Eurostar passengers.

The timing proved crucial, with pressure mounting ahead of April’s scheduled implementation of the EU’s new automated border system featuring biometric checks at the Gibraltar-Spain frontier. UK authorities had warned such measures would “devastate” Gibraltar’s economy, where British nationals constitute 86.5% of all airport departures according to recent tourism data.

Gibraltar Chief Minister Fabian Picardo welcomed the agreement as delivering “the certainty our people and businesses need,” with provisional application targeted for April 10th – coinciding with the EU’s new border system implementation date after previous delays.

Beyond border arrangements, the treaty establishes that most goods destined for Gibraltar will undergo EU customs clearance in Spain, eliminating need for border checks. Additionally, both UK and EU have committed financial contributions to a new fund promoting “training and employment” in Spanish regions surrounding the territory.

The agreement represents the culmination of negotiations following a political deal reached in June 2023, with the draft now undergoing final legal review and translation before requiring ratification by both UK and European Parliaments.