“In all modern democratic countries, Independent Authorities are a key pillar of the rule of law. The legal order in Greece has recognized their important institutional role by providing the necessary guarantees for the performance of their work and the independence of their officials”, said the parliamentary representative of SYRIZA-PS, Theofilos Xanthopoulosspeaking at the Conference organized by “Transparency Hellas”, for the Independent Authorities, representing the president of the Official Opposition party.

On the occasion of “the wiretapping scandal that plagues public life”, Mr. Xanthopoulos wondered “if the independence guarantees of the members of the Independent Authorities charged with investigating this major scandal were strengthened or if they were limited” and added: “Were the their responsibilities to carry out their work, or were they cut short? Were the Authorities facilitated in their work, or was every effort, legitimate or illegitimate, made to hinder them? I think the answers to these existing questions are obvious and we all know them”.

Mr. Xanthopoulos referred to “the recent announcement of the National Commission for Human Rights, which describes the unacceptable, undemocratic and unconstitutional behavior of the Mitsotakis government towards the independent authorities and their members, making special mention of the Human Rights Commission and the complaints of its president for attempts to prevent the execution of controls by the Authority, defamatory and threatening reports against him by official State bodies, the illegal selection of ADAE Members due to the lack of the necessary constitutional majority as well as the summons to an apology before the Court of its members for their opinions and the way they carry out their duties”. He argued that “This government policy directly affects democratic institutions and undermines the functioning of the rule of law. It is not possible for the ND government to attempt to cover up a scandal, that of wiretapping, by turning the Independent Authorities into its subordinates. It is not possible to turn independent authorities into an object of political opacity”.

In closing, he said: “We, SYRIZA-PS, consider an inviolable rule in a democratic system, the further strengthening of the role and work of the Independent Authorities, as the institutional counterweights that will contribute decisively to the smooth operation of a modern state of law. And we promise to make every possible effort in this direction”.