The Greek government is facing mounting criticism from opposition parties, who accuse it of operating a “character assassination” apparatus, following revelations of close ties between the pro-government media outfit known as the “Truth Team” and a private company, Blue Skies. The company is owned by individuals with strong connections to the ruling New Democracy (ND) party.

The “Truth Team” and Blue Skies Connection

According to an Inside Story article, Blue Skies, run by Thomas Varvitsiotis and Yiannis Olympios, has been working with the “Truth Team” since 2018. This company, closely tied to ND, also employs key figures in communication and strategy for the government.

  • Company Background: Blue Skies is a company co-owned by Thomas Varvitsiotis (son of former minister Giannis Varvitsiotis) and Yiannis Olympios, both also prominent in V+O, a leading communications company in Greece.
  • Political Influence: Varvitsiotis and Olympios have long been involved in ND’s election campaigns and have significant influence in both the media and strategic communication sectors.

The “Truth Team” and its role in political campaigns

The “Truth Team” is described as a key mechanism for defending the government and promoting ND’s narrative, especially during political crises. It often provides responses and spins stories before traditional media outlets do. The website has been accused by other media outlets of spreading false information, distorting facts, and using doctored images or videos.

  • Key Personnel: Among those working for Blue Skies are Kimonas Benos and Kostas Doganis, who are central figures in the “Truth Team.”

The Inside Story report portrays a sleek, tightly coordinated digital operation with a clear purpose: shielding the government and Prime Minister, especially in moments of crisis. Whether it was the Tempe train disaster, the wiretapping scandal, the Evros migration standoff, or the Pylos shipwreck, the Truth Team didn’t just respond – “it proactively shaped the narrative, often before the public had time to ask questions.”

“What’s new and striking is the revelation that the party’s core communications team is not only acting in sync with New Democracy, but is actually employed by a private firm with close ties to the party itself.”

Government downplays allegations

In response to opposition allegations, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis defended the “Truth Team,” dismissing claims of character assassination. He emphasized the importance of having teams that challenge misinformation and defend the government’s position. He defended the team’s actions suggesting the opposition is trying to silence those defending the government.

Minister Adonis Georgiadis went further, praising the Truth Team’s work:

“They’ve played a historic role in defending truth and countering our opponents’ propaganda. Their success rivals, if not surpasses, the influence of traditional media.”

He thanked Varvitsiotis and Olympios for their “professionalism and talent”, even as the two businessmen denied any direct affiliation with ND in the Inside Story report.

Opposition responses

  • SYRIZA: The opposition party SYRIZA has criticized the “Truth Team” for its role in manipulating public opinion and undermining democracy.“Cornered and exposed as ND’s character assassination machine, the Truth Team is now resorting to lawsuits. They tried the same tactic against our MP Elena Akrita and failed. They will fail again.”
  • PASOK: Similarly, PASOK condemned the government’s actions, accusing them of using propaganda to intimidate political opponents and suppress dissent. The party claimed that Marinakis effectively admitted to the institutional ties between the Truth Team and ND.

“He confirmed the collusion between the governing party, advertising and private firms, and its propaganda machine. His defence boils down to: ‘private citizens pay other private citizens to throw mud at political opponents’,” the party commented.

Legal threats and backlash

“We also owe a response to the coordinated effort by some to link us to anonymous social media accounts that have absolutely no connection to the Truth Team. Let us make it clear once again: whatever we have to say, we say it publicly and with our faces shown, through the official channels of the Truth Team,” he added.

The “Truth Team” has announced that it will take legal action against political figures who made accusations against them.

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