The report by Bloomberg, stating that former MEP and journalist Stelios Kouloglou was targeted by the Pegasus spyware, is not merely another entry in the long list of digital surveillance victims. It represents an irony of biblical proportions and a stark reminder that in the age of "digital mercenaries," no one is immune — not even those tasked with overseeing such practices.
According to the investigation, the targeting of Mr. Kouloglou took place during a period when he was an active member of the European Parliament's PEGA inquiry committee, which was established specifically to investigate the use of Pegasus and equivalent surveillance software in Europe. The realization that an investigator is being watched by the very subject of his investigation highlights the audacity of the entities using such tools and their complete disregard for democratic institutions.
Targeting at the Heart of Europe
The case of Stelios Kouloglou is inextricably linked to the broader wiretapping scandal in Greece, which has shaken the political landscape in recent years. While attention had largely focused on the Predator software, the revelation regarding Pegasus — the "gold standard" of surveillance software from the Israeli NSO Group — shows that the arsenal used against Greek citizens and officials was multi-layered and highly sophisticated.
Pegasus is not simple spyware. It is a "zero-click" tool, meaning it can infect a device without the user making a single mistake, such as clicking a suspicious link. Once installed, it gives the operator full access to messages, calls, photos, and even the device's microphone or camera in real-time. For a journalist and politician, this means the complete exposure of their sources and strategy.
Institutional Inertia and NSO Group
Despite continuous revelations, NSO Group continues to maintain that it sells its software exclusively to governments to combat terrorism and crime. However, the Kouloglou case, like those of Thanasis Koukakis and Nikos Androulakis, proves that these tools are systematically used to suppress political dissent and control the press within the European Union.
- The lack of transparency in contracts between state agencies and spyware companies.
- The reluctance of the judiciary to proceed with deep investigations into the perpetrators.
- The political cover often provided under the guise of "national security."
The PEGA committee, in which Mr. Kouloglou participated, had issued strict recommendations to member states, calling for a moratorium on the use of such software until a clear regulatory framework is in place. The revelation that he was a target while drafting these recommendations is a direct attack on the sovereignty of the European Parliament.
The Future of Privacy and Press Freedom
This case highlights a grim reality: technology has long outpaced legislation. Journalists investigating corruption or state malpractice now find themselves in a constant state of digital siege. The protection of sources, the cornerstone of investigative journalism, becomes nearly impossible when the devices we carry in our pockets are turned into surveillance instruments.
"If we cannot guarantee the security of our communications, then democracy is merely an illusion," Mr. Kouloglou had stated in a previous intervention.
The European Commission's reaction remains lukewarm so far, with many analysts pointing out that the reluctance to impose sanctions stems from the fact that many European governments are themselves clients of these companies. The case of Stelios Kouloglou is not a Greek peculiarity, but a European symptom of a deeper institutional rot that requires immediate and radical treatment.
