The wiretapping scandal in Greece, a chapter many in the political establishment would prefer to see permanently closed, has forcefully returned to the spotlight following a significant intervention by one of the country's preeminent constitutional scholars. Evangelos Venizelos, former Vice President of the Government and Professor of Constitutional Law, voiced profound legal objections regarding the decision to reject the reopening of the wiretapping case file from the judicial archives.
Venizelos' intervention is not merely political posturing; it is a rigorous institutional autopsy of how the Greek judiciary has handled the surveillance of political figures, journalists, and military leadership. At the heart of his argument lies the judiciary's refusal to acknowledge the link between official National Intelligence Service (EYP) wiretaps and the deployment of the illegal Predator spyware, despite overwhelming evidence suggesting a "common operational center."
The Legal Paradox of Archiving
Speaking at the 2nd Conference of the Scientific Council of the Hellenic Parliament, Venizelos argued that the decision to keep the case archived violates fundamental principles of the Rule of Law. According to the professor, the judicial reasoning leading to the archiving lacks the necessary depth and justification, especially when new evidence emerges or when the preliminary investigation leaves critical questions unanswered. He argued that the "institutional silence" imposed through archiving does not resolve the crisis but instead amplifies public cynicism toward democratic institutions.
A significant portion of his critique focused on the Greek judiciary's seemingly narrow interpretation of national security provisions. Venizelos emphasized that invoking "secrecy" cannot serve as a "blank check" for violating constitutional guarantees. "Secrecy must yield to the necessity of protecting the constitutional order," is the core message of his legal analysis, highlighting that transparency is the only path toward restoring institutional normalcy.
The 'Common Center' Theory and the European Dimension
One of the most contentious aspects of the case remains the relationship between the EYP and private entities marketing Predator spyware. Venizelos stressed that the judiciary's refusal to exhaustively investigate this coincidence—where EYP targets were simultaneously targeted by Predator—represents a major investigative failure that exposes Greece to international scrutiny.
The issue extends far beyond Greek borders. The former minister alluded to the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which has consistently ruled that member states have a positive obligation to effectively investigate any breach of communication privacy. Archiving the case without exhausting all evidentiary leads could lead to condemnatory rulings against Greece in Strasbourg, further tarnishing the country's reputation regarding the protection of civil liberties.
The Erosion of Trust and the Path Forward
The questions raised by Evangelos Venizelos transcend the boundaries of a criminal case file. They concern the very quality of Greek democracy in 2026. When figures of Venizelos' stature—who has held the highest state offices and possesses an intimate understanding of the system—express such doubts, the blow to the judiciary's credibility is severe.
In conclusion, this intervention serves as an urgent call for an institutional reset. The Judiciary must not only be independent but must also be seen to be independent. The insistence on archiving a case that shook the political system and society to its core, without providing convincing answers, leaves an open wound in the fabric of the Greek State. The road to truth may be arduous, but it is the only one leading to genuine accountability and the restoration of faith in the democratic process.
