The decision of Antonis Samaras to appeal to the Prosecutor of the Supreme Court, requesting a full investigation into the hacking of his mobile phone with the Predator spyware, is not merely a legal move — it is an intervention with clear political and institutional implications, coming as it does from a former prime minister who is also preparing to launch a new political party.
In his petition, which carries the weight of a formal complaint, Antonis Samaras calls on the country’s highest prosecutorial authority to conduct an in-depth investigation into the case, arguing that no convincing answers have yet been provided as to whether he was the target of illegal surveillance. His intervention reignites the debate over whether there is evidence that has not been properly assessed, or questions that remain unanswered and warrant further investigation. The significance of this move extends well beyond its legal dimension. Politically, it carries particular weight: for the first time, a former prime minister from the same political sphere as the current government — even if he is no longer a member of New Democracy — is calling on the justice system to re-examine a case with profound institutional implications.
From a judicial standpoint, the filing of the petition does not mean the case will automatically be reopened from scratch. Supreme Court Prosecutor Evangelos Bakelas will assess the content of the petition and decide whether the conditions exist for further investigation or for a review of specific elements within the case file. A decision is also expected regarding similar petitions filed by other alleged Predator victims, including former SYRIZA minister Christos Spirtzis and journalist Thanasis Koukakis.
The government, for its part, has maintained that the justice system is providing the answers in this case and has pointed out that prosecutorial orders related to the matter have already been issued. Nevertheless, Antonis Samaras’s intervention brings the case back to the center of the political agenda, creating new dynamics and reigniting public debate around wiretapping and the use of illegal surveillance software. Regardless of the ultimate outcome of the process, the former prime minister’s petition carries its own distinct political symbolism. The justice system’s next moves are being watched with keen interest, as they will determine whether the case gains new momentum or whether its judicial trajectory to date remains unchanged.
