Cyprus is a hotbed of existence and production of surveillance software

Statements by AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou on ‘Astra’ radio:

“The EU is sensitive when human rights are violated in third countries, but is not sensitive when it comes to violations of rights in its member states”

9 November 2022, ‘Astra’ radio station

At the end of November, the final text of the European Parliament’s PEGA Committee of Inquiry conclusions on wiretapping and surveillance is expected to be formulated, following its contacts in Israel, Poland, Greece and Cyprus.

Speaking to ‘Astra’ radio station, PEGA Vice-Chairman and AKEL MEP Giorgos Georgiou said that the draft report of the Committee’s rapporteur will be discussed on 28 November. Data and information will be submitted and the final text will subsequently be drawn up.

Commenting on the annoyance expressed by MEP’s of the right-wing European People’s Party (EPP) about the draft, Giorgos Georgiou said that they were questioning the rapporteur’s right to write a report.

At the same time, the AKEL MEP pointed out that the EU is sensitive when human rights are violated in third countries, however, he said, it does not show the same sensitivity when it comes to the violation of rights in its member states.

Giorgos Georgiou pointed out that Nicos Anastasiades and Kyriakos Mitsotakis do the same.

The AKEL MEP added that from Committee of Inquiry’s visit to Cyprus, two cases have assisted its work. That is to say, the well-documented evidence of Fanis Makrides on the production and export of software from Cyprus and the evidence submitted by AKEL on the black spy van. Giorgos Georgiou went on to note that Cyprus is a hotbed for the existence and production of spy software.