No grounds to revive wiretap case
Greece’s top prosecutor said Monday there is no basis to reopen an archived wiretapping case tied to the Predator spyware, concluding that evidence aired in court does not constitute new material.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/1302116/no-grounds-to-revive-wiretap-case
Androulakis criticizes Supreme Court decision to keep wiretapping case shelved
The Greek Supreme Court “insulted and undermined the authority of justice itself” by the chief prosecutor’s decision not to retrieve the wiretapping case from the archives of his predecessor to reexamine the case, PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL) leader Nikos Androulakis charged during an extraordinary press conference at the party’s offices on Monday. Androulakis said that justice should have done the least investigation possible, by summoning Tai Dilian to testify about Predator spyware, which he has said is sold only to states and state services. “So they refused the investigation,” PASOK’s leader said, charging the government of “a corrupt ruling power and a prime minister who erodes institutions in order to retain his rule.” Androulakis said PASOK will ask parliament to establish an investigative committee into the wiretapping scandal.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1301746/eu-prosecutor-flags-opekepe-corruption
Greece, Libya advance maritime talks
Greece and Libya have agreed to advance discussions on the delimitation of the continental shelf and exclusive economic zones, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said following meetings in Tripoli with Libyan officials.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/politics/foreign-policy/1302127/greece-libya-advance-maritime-talks
Primary budget surplus of €4.37 billion in Q1
Tax revenues in the state budget showed an improved performance at the end of the year’s first quarter, with March figures further strengthening the overall fiscal outcome.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1302123/primary-budget-surplus-of-e4-37-billion-in-q1
ATHEX: Minimal rise as concerns persist
Standard & Poor’s left Greece’s credit rating and outlook unchanged, while Stoxx announced it will upgrade the Greek stock market from developing to developed as of September 21. Along with the prolonged uncertainty regarding the Middle East war, the local bourse had a rather quiet day on Monday, with minor gains for the main indexes and a reduced turnover. The growth in oil rates served to cap optimism, with the benchmark closing on the day’s low. The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 2,222.04 points, adding 0.09% to Friday’s 2,220.02 points. The large-cap FTSE-25 index expanded 0.06%, ending at 5,633.11 points.
https://www.ekathimerini.com/economy/1302129/athex-minimal-rise-as-concerns-persist
KATHIMERINI: Political storm due to the wiretappings scandal
TA NEA: Issue of Democracy: wiretappings case archived
EFIMERIDA TON SYNTAKTON: Institutional “whitewashing” for the wiretappings scandal
RIZOSPASTIS: We move ahead following the path of the immortals, until the people win!
KONTRA NEWS: Mitsotakis trapped within three new judicial files
DIMOKRATIA: Justice abolished!
NAFTEMPORIKI: State budget: Extra bonus of 850 million euro in 2026 revenue
DRIVING THE DAY
PARLIAMENT RATCHETS UP BUDGET BATTLE: All eyes are on the European Parliament today, where lawmakers are expected to back a call to increase the EU’s long-term budget to more than €2 trillion — setting them on a collision course with frugal capitals led by Berlin.
What it’s about: The EU is in the thick of talks about its Multiannual Financial Framework, which will fund the bloc from 2028 to 2034. The European Commission has pitched a streamlined €1.8 trillion pot that would give Brussels flexibility to spend more on defense and competitiveness.
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But that’s not enough, according to the Parliament’s budget rapporteur, Siegfried Mureșan. “Pretending that one can do more with less is a myth,” he told Playbook.
Zoom in: Mureșan warned that slashing farm subsidies would “endanger food security,” while cuts to cohesion funds would “severely” affect Europe’s regions. The Romanian lawmaker from the European People’s Party added that the EU needs to find new ways of raising its “own resources” beyond funding from member countries.
What to expect: The vote is expected shortly after noon. Mureșan, Parliament President Roberta Metsola and co-rapporteur Carla Tavares of the Socialists and Democrats (S&D) will follow up with a presser at 2 p.m. Barring any surprises, Mureșan said he expects Parliament’s proposed negotiating position to pass by a comfortable margin.
Even so … the vote sets the stage for a clash between Parliament and Council after leaders of so-called frugal states warned they won’t stand for a bigger EU budget. A hefty increase “does not fit the picture” at a time when capitals are being asked to tighten their belts, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said last week.
This isn’t a clash along party lines: EPP President Manfred Weber — from the same political family as Merz — told Playbook he wants to “strengthen support for farmers and regions” while also boosting investments in defense, innovation and competitiveness.
Timing snag: The Council has yet to finalize its position, and Parliament isn’t rushing into talks. The Council “basically asks us … to send our negotiators to talks before their people have a mandate. We cannot agree on that,” Mureșan said.
Wiggle room: Mureșan added that he’s ready to debate the “technicalities” of Parliament’s proposals on raising new money, as well as “additional alternatives if the Commission or member states have any new proposals.”
The bottom line: It doesn’t get more real for the EU than discussing the bloc’s budget. Talks between the three main bodies haven’t even started — but the battle lines couldn’t be any clearer. Buckle up.
CRACKS IN THE CORDON
ROMANIA TESTS FAR-RIGHT FIREWALL: A potential deal between Romania’s Social Democrats and the far-right Alliance for the Union of Romanians (AUR) to topple Prime Minister Ilie Bolojan is setting alarm bells ringing in Brussels, Max Griera reports.
Just don’t: Vula Tsetsi, chair of the European Green Party, warned that the Social Democrats would be “crossing a red line” if they move forward with a coalition with the AUR. She urged them to refuse political cooperation with “extremist forces.”
Watching closely: EPP chair Manfred Weber called for “everyone to behave responsibly” in Bucharest to ensure government stability. Siegfried Mureșan told POLITICO he is wary of the Social Democrats’ long-term intentions.
Benefit of the doubt: But so far the European socialists are sticking by their Romanian friends. “I reaffirm my trust in the [Romanian] Social Democratic Party and its commitment to working with all pro-European forces,” S&D Chair Iratxe García told POLITICO. “This principle is non-negotiable and lies at the very core of our political family.”
The wider view: The potential tie-up in Romania reflects a broader trend across Europe: Voters are turning to populist far-right parties for answers amid a cost-of-living crunch and migration pressures. And their increased clout in national parliaments makes it harder for mainstream forces to isolate them.
ESSENTIAL READING — TRUMP’S VOICE OF AMERICA: My colleagues Tim Ross, Nahal Toosi and Stefanie Bolzen have a big read out this morning on Sarah Rogers, the American diplomat pushing MAGA on Europe.
DEREGULATION DRIVE
REWRITING THE RULEBOOK: Economy Commissioner Valdis Dombrovskis will today unveil plans to revamp EU lawmaking and cut red tape for businesses, Marianne Gros writes in to report.
What it’s about: The “Better Regulation” guidelines are Europe’s rules for writing rules. The Commission said in January it wanted to make them more efficient. But civil society and industry groups warned that the review risked undermining democratic safeguards and weakening environmental and human rights protections.
Temperature check: The announcement comes over year into the Commission’s deregulation drive, which has so far included a rollback of environmental disclosure rules affecting companies … a proposal to relax rules on pesticides use … and a controversial bid to loosen chemical rules.
SPEAKING OF THE COMMISSION … Ursula von der Leyen played down any tension between the EU executive and Germany’s conservative Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union over deregulation, telling journalists on Monday that their positions were essentially aligned, my colleagues Nette Nöstlinger and Rasmus Buchsteiner reported.
Fighting words: René Repasi, leader of the center-left German SPD in the European Parliament, accused the conservatives of “playing with anti-European fire when it launches a brutal polemic against the EU.” The far-right Alternative for Germany was keen to fan those flames, though, adding a proposal on the CDU/CSU paper to the Parliament’s agenda on Monday. It failed to win a majority.
IN OTHER NEWS
MEPS TARGET OUTDATED RAPE LAWS: The Parliament will today vote on a non-binding report urging the Commission to propose legislation establishing an EU-wide definition of rape based on “the requirement of freely given, informed consent that can be withdrawn.” Lawmakers want member countries still defining rape by the use of violence to bring their laws into line with the Istanbul Convention on violence against women.
ORBÁN STRATEGIST HEADS TO BRUSSELS: Balázs Orbán, Viktor Orbán’s political director and Fidesz campaign chief, is heading to the European Parliament to take up a mandate as lawmaker in the Patriots for Europe group this summer, Max Griera reports. “My parliamentary mandate belongs to the Fidesz community,” Orbán said on X. The leaders of the community have asked me to help renew and strengthen it.”
EARLY ELECTION IN MALTA: The country will hold a parliamentary election on May 30, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced in a televised address. Reuters has the details.
ROYAL VISIT: King Charles III arrived in D.C. for a four-day trip to steady a U.S.-U.K. relationship strained by the Middle East war. He’ll give a 20-minute speech to Congress Tuesday focused on reconciliation and renewal, my Stateside colleagues report.
UKRAINE FEUDS WITH ISRAEL: Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha posted on X that he will summon Israel’s ambassador this morning over reports that Israel will allow a Russian vessel filled with “stolen” Ukrainian grain to dock in the port of Haifa. His counterpart Gideon Sa’ar shot back (also on X): “Diplomatic relations, especially between friendly nations, are not conducted on Twitter or in the media.”
Meanwhile … The European Parliament is expected to ratify the EU’s accession to the Council of Europe convention establishing an International Claims Commission for Ukraine on Thursday, after lawmakers fast-tracked the process on Monday, Max Griera writes in to report.