Photo by Marek Pospíšil on Unsplash
The European Parliament has raised “the alarm” over several worrying developments in Greece “threatening the rule of law” and called on the EU Commission to act.
In a resolution adopted on Wednesday with 330 votes in favour, 254 against, and 26 abstentions, MEPs express grave concerns about very serious threats to democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in the country.
Regarding media pluralism and the safety of journalists, MEPs complain about the lack of progress in the investigation into the murder of George Karaivaz in April 2021.
They denounced, in a statement, that journalists are subject to physical threats and verbal attacks (also from high-ranking politicians), violations of their privacy with spyware, and abusive lawsuits –including from the Prime Minister’s entourage.
Parliament also has concerns over the independence of the national audiovisual regulatory authority, the concentration of media in the hands of oligarchs, and the distribution of state subsidies.
Parliament said it also condemns the instrumentalisation of ‘national security threats’ to wiretap political opponents, including MEPs.
In response to so-called “Predatorgate”, MEPs demand that democratic safeguards should be strengthened and call for effective investigations with the help of Europol.
They ask to reverse legislation that placed the intelligence service under the direct control of the Prime Minister. The resolution voices concerns over the transfer of the investigation to a different prosecutor and political pressure, intimidation and harassment of officials who are scrutinising the government.
Parliament also points to what it calls “excessive use of force by police and the deficient quality of subsequent investigations and court rulings”, alleged corruption, the length of judicial proceedings, and possible conflicts of interest, including police infiltration by organised crime.
MEPs also complained about alleged attacks against civil society, particularly what they called the “smear campaigns and judicial harassment against human rights activists.”
MEPs suspect “lack of political impartiality” in the parliamentary inquiry into the Tempi train disaster –which caused dozens of deaths in February 2023 – and are concerned about the pro-government parliamentary majority’s refusal to conduct an investigation into two former ministers for transport as requested by the EU Public Prosecutor’s Office.
