Greek Politics
PM brushes aside spying scandal, lowers expectations for handouts
Kyriakos Mitsotakis chaired on Wednesday his first cabinet meeting since the phone-tapping scandal took on threatening proportions for his government and the Greek Prime Minister used the opportunity to turn his ministers’ attention to other challenges ahead on the path to the next general election.
Parties tussle over scope of surveillance probe as latest poll puts Mitsotakis in frame
There has been no let-up in the pressure on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his government to account for the surveillance of a politician and a journalist by Greece’s national security service, with a meeting of the relevant parliamentary committee set to be followed by a special parliamentary inquiry.
Opposition pushes for phone-tapping probe as early polls claim limited damage to ND
Following on quickly from Friday’s fractious party leaders’ debate on the phone-tapping scandal, Parliament reconvenes in Athens to vote on PASOK-KINAL’s proposal to hold a parliamentary inquiry into the affair.
First head-to-head clash over spying scandal in Parliament fails to deliver decisive blow
A much-anticipated party leaders’ debate in Greek Parliament on Friday was heavy in terms of accusation and counter-accusation but did not produce a definitive moment that could shape political developments decisively in the coming days and weeks.
Scepticism greets govt denials of involvement in surveillance, as communications missteps snowball
The confirmation hearing on Wednesday for the new head of the national intelligence service kicked off what promises to be a stormy political season, with opposition parties intensifying the pressure to move the agenda on to the inquiry into the phone-tapping of politicians and journalists.
As battering from spy scandal continues, ND invests in broadening scope of inquiry
Although the government is attempting to turn its attention to the relief package that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is due to announce at the Thessaloniki International Fair in a few days, the phone-tapping scandal shows no signs of going away.
Parliament prepares for confrontation over spying as long-term consequences loom
The political jousting between the government and the opposition over the phone-tapping scandal that began on Monday as Parliament resumed activities following the summer recess is set to intensify in the build-up to the party leaders’ debate scheduled for Friday.
Electricity price shock, pressure on phone-tapping take shine off surveillance exit
Within hours of the government celebrating Greece’s formal exit from the post-bailout enhanced surveillance regime, the storm clouds were gathering as energy companies announced another round of increases and the opposition mustered to demand questions on the phone-tapping affair.
Imminent parliamentary clash over phone-tapping puts PM on alert
Greece’s politicians are gearing up for the first head-on clash over phone-tapping next week, which is forcing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to be on his toes for potential dissent within his own ranks as well as attacks from the opposition benches in Parliament.
Govt puts focus on handouts, migration to take heat off surveillance affair
With the opposition intent on cornering Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis over his management of the intelligence service and the surveillance of politicians and journalists, the government is focussed on pulling together an economic package which it hopes will strike a chord with ordinary voters.