Greece’s Data Protection Authority (DPA) launched an investigation on Monday into allegations that ruling New Democracy MEP Anna-Michelle Asimakopoulou violated data protection regulations by emailing to Greek voters living abroad ahead of the European Parliament elections in June.
It is recalled that due to postal vote regulations, Greeks living abroad have to register at the Interior Ministry
The issue broke out on Friday, when Greeks living abroad complained about the e-mails they received by Asimakopoulou. The complaints flooded the social media and the ‘storm’ continued over the weekend.
The DPA has received a “large number of complaints” on the issue, the authority said in a press release.
“In response to media inquiries regarding the alleged distribution of unsolicited electronic communication by an EU deputy to Greek expatriates prior to the European elections, the Authority announces that, following numerous relevant complaints, it has promptly initiated an examination procedure into the issue.”
In her first response to complaints, MEP Asimakopoulou claimed she had collected the e-mail addresses by the owners and thus over the last five years.
On a post on X on March 1, Asimakopoulou spoke of “mud attack” against her,and of “conspiracy theories” aiming to harm the postal voting that is implemented for the first time by Greece in the European elections.
Σχετικά με την «επίθεση λάσπης» που δέχομαι από το πρωί, θέλω να διευκρινίσω ότι:
100 ημέρες πριν από τις ευρωεκλογές το γραφείο μου απέστειλε newsletter σε Έλληνες του εξωτερικού, με στοιχεία επικοινωνίας που συγκέντρωσα ως Ευρωβουλευτής στη διάρκεια των τελευταίων 5 ετών, ώστε…
— Anna Michelle Asimakopoulou MEP (@AnnaAsimakopoul) March 1, 2024
“Regarding the “mud attack” I have been receiving since this morning, I want to clarify that:
100 days before the European elections, my office sent a newsletter to Greeks abroad, with contact information that I collected as an MEP during the last 5 years, in order to ask for permission to communicate with them regularly, as I always do, respecting personal data and the GDPR from 2018.
I have never received personal data from the Ministry of the Interior or any other government body concerning Greeks abroad.
Conspiracy theories that associate the registrations for the postal vote with my personal action, are intended to use me to attack the institution of the postal vote, the institutional reform that was finally established in the Greek Parliament only with the support of the New Democracy.”
Complainers insisted they did not have any contact to her prior to the sending of the e-mails.
In appearances to TV channels over the weekend, MEP Asimakopoulou stressed that recipients could give their consent if they wanted to keep receiving her newsletter. However, the issue is: where did she get the e-mails from and this is what the DPA will investigate.
According to Greek laws, the Ministry can send the lists to election candidates upon request, however, without any personal contact data such as e-mails, phone numbers etc.
Late on Sunday, the Interior Ministry issued a short statement saying that “the Interior Ministry does not provide e-mail addresses of voters to candidates or parties, as provided by the current legislation.”
The response from the Ministry of Internal Affairs. although clear, it has been questioned with a typical post by a Greek living in London, reported in.gr.
Other social media users noted that their specific e-mail was registered at the Interior Ministry in previous elections.
Strong reactions by opposition parties and Greeks living abroad continue on Monday.
SYRIZA and PASOK reportedly bring the issue to the Greek Parliament and opposition MEPs to the European Parliament and the Commission.
