Is Greece a good country for VPNs?

Is Greece a good country to host VPNs in?

Greece may not be the most suitable location for a VPN server, earning a “Below Average” rating on the Privacy Protection Index (PPI). Although Greece is a member of the European Union and follows the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), there have been instances where the Greek government has been involved in internet surveillance, which could potentially compromise the privacy of VPN users. For example, in the early 2000s, the Vodafone Greece wiretapping scandal revealed that the Greek government had been involved in monitoring thousands of mobile phones, including those of high-ranking officials. Additionally, Greece has implemented laws that grant authorities the power to request user data from internet service providers without judicial oversight, as seen in Law 3917/2011. While these concerns may not directly impact VPN providers, they do raise questions about the overall privacy and security of data within Greece, making it a less attractive location for a VPN server compared to other countries with higher PPI ratings.

VPNs offered in Greece:

There are examples of privacy concerns and surveillance incidents in the country. In the early 2000s, the Vodafone Greece wiretapping scandal made headlines worldwide. Between 2004 and 2005, more than 100 high-ranking Greek officials, including the Prime Minister, were wiretapped through unauthorized software installed on Vodafone Greece’s mobile network. The wiretapping was discovered in 2005, leading to a significant controversy over privacy rights and government surveillance in Greece. This incident underscores the importance of privacy protection and the potential risks of operating in a country where government surveillance may be a concern. While this example does not directly involve VPN servers, it does highlight the potential risks associated with hosting VPN servers in Greece, given the country’s history of surveillance and potential privacy infringements.