Spyware Scandal in Greece

Greece's government announced yesterday it would ban the sale of spyware, the latest move amid a wiretapping scandal enveloping Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' government. The announcement follows weekend reports claiming over 30 public individuals' phones were infected by a spyware program overseen by the government, reports Mitsotakis denied yesterday.

After July security checks revealed opposition leader Nikos Androulakis had been spied on by Greek intelligence last year, Mitsotakis fired two officials and claimed he had not been aware of the espionage. Out of national security concerns, the prime minister withheld the government's rationale for the wiretap, prompting calls for a deeper investigation from both Greek politicians as well as the European Union.

The scandal in Greece comes amid broader European concerns over the use of spyware against high-ranking officials, a year after at least 14 sovereign leaders' phones were targeted by Pegasus, a military-grade spy technology.