An interim report from the European Parliament, published on Tuesday, November 8, points to the “illegitimate” use of spyware in at least four EU countries, Poland, Hungary, Greece and Spain. Parliament advocates a “moratorium” on these technologies.
“The misuse of spyware in EU member states is a serious threat to democracy across the continent,” said the rapporteur, Dutch MEP Sophie in’T Veld (Renew Europe), during a press conference.
He regretted that in many cases the governments of the Member States refused to share official information with the European Parliament’s Committee of Inquiry (PEGA), which had to base its work on other sources, in particular journalistic investigations.
“Oppress critical citizens”
“In Poland and Hungary, we see that Pegasus spyware is an integral part of a system designed to control and even oppress citizens critical of the government, members of the opposition, journalists, whistleblowers,” he said.
In Greece, where the parliamentary committee called on the government on Friday for “an urgent and thorough investigation” into this scandal of illegal eavesdropping through Predator software, “we see signs … of systematic and large-scale use as part of a strategy clear policy,” he continued.
In Spain, there are “strong indications that political figures and others have been spied on without a clear and imminent threat to national security,” he said.
The interim report must be discussed and modified within the PEGA commission by the different political groups, and its final version must be submitted to a vote by the European Parliament in March 2023, or in June if the mission is extended.
Source: BFM TV
