ATHENS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 25th August, 2022) The Greek Parliament Committee approved the appointment of former Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry Themistoklis Demiris as the new head of the National Intelligence Service (EYP) to replace Panagiotis Kontoleon, who was dismissed over a surveillance scandal, Greek media reported on Wednesday.
According to the Skai broadcaster, only lawmakers of the ruling New Democracy party spoke in favor of the appointment, while all opposition parties voted against.
Ambassador Theocharis Lalacos was reportedly appointed as the new Secretary General of the Greek Foreign Ministry.
A political scandal erupted in Greece late July regarding the wiretapping by Predator spyware of the mobile phone of Nikos Androulakis, the leader of the Panhellenic Socialist Movement, and the surveillance of journalist Thanasis Koukakis. Kontoleon and the Greek prime minister's general secretary, Grigoris Dimitriadis, were dismissed due to the scandal.
Greek media called the case "Kyriakos-gate" and "Greek Watergate" by analogy with the well-known political scandal of 1972-1974, which ended with the resignation of US President Richard Nixon.
The case caused an international outcry. The Greek parliament interrupted the summer holidays before the scheduled date, with a debate of party leaders on the wiretapping of citizens to take place on August 26.
