Dubbed Greece's Watergate, the phone spyware scandal has taken a significant turn as the case against two Israelis and two Greeks associated with the controversial software, Predator, proceeds to court. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has openly referred to it as a scandal; however, to date, no high-ranking officials have been charged, which has raised prominent suspicions about a cover-up regarding the surveillance of politicians and journalists.

The crisis began in the summer of 2022 when Nikos Androulakis, then an MEP and now the leader of the socialist party PASOK, discovered that his phone had been targeted by the malicious software. The spyware is known for its invasive capabilities, accessing sensitive information such as messages and camera data.

The allegations against the Greek government intensified further when it was revealed that the National Intelligence Service had tracked Androulakis for purported reasons of national security. Prime Minister Mitsotakis had placed the service under his direct supervision shortly after taking office in 2019, leading to a cascading fallout within the administration, including resignations from key aides.

There have been claims that Predator has been used to surveil 87 individuals, including government ministers and military officials, yet the government denies any illicit connection between itself and the software's usage. Critics assert that this reflects a systematic failure of the governance and judiciary systems, revealing issues of accountability and oversight.

While the trial focuses on the four individuals accused of affiliation with the spyware's marketing, no minister or official subjected to surveillance has stepped forward to lodge a formal complaint, adding to the controversy and criticism surrounding the ongoing investigation.

The government has since enacted a new law regarding communication confidentiality, yet concerns have emerged about its implications for individual rights. As international scrutiny grows, especially from the EU, which has been investigating such spyware use, the Greek authorities face increasing pressure to disclose the truth behind the scandal.