MEP Nikolas Farantouris (S&D) has submitted a written parliamentary question to the European Commission, pressing for details on whether the Commissioner for Democracy, Justice, the Rule of Law and Consumer Protection, Michael McGrath, raised specific rule of law concerns during his recent visit to Greece. The question, filed on 20 May 2026, targets issues including the wiretapping scandal, personal data protection, independence of oversight authorities, and alleged corruption in public procurement.
Farantouris asks whether the Commissioner discussed the wiretapping scandal, concerns about the protection of personal data, the independence of oversight authorities, and public complaints by Bar Associations and lawyers regarding the functioning of the government-appointed leadership of the Supreme Court of Greece. He also inquires whether issues concerning the direct award of public contracts, opacity, and apparent corruption in fund management were brought to the Commissioner's attention.
The MEP further asks whether the upcoming rule of law report on Greece will include the strong concerns expressed by bodies and organisations that met with the Commissioner. The question references the official briefing on the Commissioner's visit, which mentioned discussions on judicial reforms, the selection of higher court leadership, the new judicial charter, digital transformation, anti-corruption, media freedom, and civil society, but did not specify whether these particular sensitive issues were addressed.
Policy orientation and expected follow-up
The question signals Farantouris's push for greater transparency and accountability from the Commission regarding rule of law enforcement in Greece. By explicitly linking the Commissioner's visit to unresolved controversies, the MEP seeks to ensure that the Commission's upcoming rule of law report reflects the full scope of concerns raised by domestic stakeholders. The Commission is expected to reply within approximately six weeks; its answer will indicate whether it considers these issues as part of its ongoing monitoring or as matters for further investigation.