Political confrontation setting has been formed in recent days on the occasion Post of Inside Storywhich supports the Many years of collaboration with the “Truth Group” of New Democracy with the private communication company Blue Skies. The report brings back to the forefront the issue of funding and operation of this particular party communication mechanism.
‘Blue Skies’ and Truth Team
According to Inside Story, Blue Skies, founded by Thomas Varvitsiotis and Yiannis Olympio – Following executives of the well -known V+O Communications– Employed from 2018 about 15 employees of the New Democracy communication arm, including Kimon Benou and Kostas DoganiManagers of the Truth Group.
The Truth Group, which began its action in 2012 as unofficial mechanism of NDwent through various phases, with its founders declaring that since 2015 they were fully undertaken. Inside Story describes its action as “highly coordinated” with the aim of supporting the government and the prime minister, especially in times of political crisis, such as the Tempe tragedy, the Pylos wreck, and the surveillance case.
The report also points out that the team has accused slander against political opponents and journalists, as well as for fragmentary use of statements.
Corporate interconnections
According to the report beyond Blue Skies, the administrators of the truth have also founded the company ADJUSTMENT IKEto which the news site belongs to Greece24, as well as the RENDER MEDIA IKE. Inside Story reports that Blue Skies also works by Ornaaki Roussetou, Former associate of George Gerapetritis and a member of the Political Secretariat of ND, which had also been a victim of the Predator software.
Blue Skies is still reported by George Tzanoudakis, a former ND social media coordinator, who, together with his colleague from the company, maintains Kuge IKE, with co -founders, among other things, the current director of the office of the Minister of Digital Governance, Spyros Diamis. Gelis, he reported, has also co -founded Contagious Minds with Nikos Lygissakis, ND executives, who has received 16 contracts from public bodies of 251,760 euros now.
Blue Skies funding
According to the Inside Story, Blue Skies’ clients have been few in the last three years, including large public suppliers, as well as a family -run business that has won contracts with ADMIE. For much of its operation, the company is said to have been funded mainly by V+O and the connected V&O International SA.
Blue Skies’ response
In a communication by Inside Story with Blue Skies leaders, only Thomas Varvitsiotis answered, who said the company is active in the field of communication and has never cooperated professionally or otherwise with the ND government or party. He also emphasized that as of 31/12/2023, Blue Skies no longer belongs to the V+O group.
Regarding the use of social media, he clarified that the company has a policy of responsible and branded communication and does not use nicknames or fantastic characters.
Opposition reactions
On the part of the opposition, PASOK, through its President Nikos Androulakis, asked questions about the financing of misinformation mechanisms and their connection to private interests or the ND party itself. SYRIZA in a statement spoke of a “dark funding network” and called for Blue Skies’ relationship with the ND and the Maximus Palace, as well as the amount of public contracts with the companies involved. Similarly, the new left talked about “slander and fake news center”.
Marinakis acknowledges funding: “An individual pays other individuals”
The government spokesman, Pavlos Marinakis, was asked about the “Truth Group” and the revelations about pay roll rolls by journalist Antonis Schroeder in the Delphi Forum. And he continued that members of the “Truth Group” are private and support something because they believe it and wondered if “one has to apologize because it supports us?” While admitting funding, “Awesome revelation … an individual paid other individuals”
In detail, government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis said:
“Awesome revelation. An individual pays other individuals. The children of the Truth Group have come forward with their faces, with their names. Our country needs many truth groups. That is, many people who, not with hoods, branded degrade the vulgarity and propaganda of specific political spaces of the left and center -left and sometimes the far right. We need truth. We are with the Truth Group and with every truth that is expressed.
And let me tell you something, I wish all those who express their opinion in the country to make it surname, to be in the private sector, to be paid by other individuals. It is not criminalized to be paid by individuals. And do you know something? Those who accuse us of the opposition, PASOK and SYRIZA are not victims, they are victims. Because they are the ones who have accused us through questions that we have a relationship with murderers or that we can be killers, I am referring to Mr. Famello with his vulgar questions.
Because we do not live in another country, in the last two months but also earlier we have accused us of being orchestrators of concealment, that we are covering a smuggler, with questions Mr. Famellos linked us to the death of a man. So these people are coming now and asking for the rest.
Look, with “if” no story is written. These people are private and support some specific policies. In this country do you finally know what I have understood? Is it forbidden to support something if it is not left and center -left? Is it not allowed for a private to support a policy of a center -right government? Should he apologize for this? Are you okay only if you express the propaganda of the left in this country? No, then. These monopolies are over. We have democracy. Everyone will be expressed as they believe. Another will support the left, another on the right, another center -right. What he believes. But for the name of God. We will not target people who say we will make it surname, and it is not an opposition problem every group of truth. “
He said it all. pic.twitter.com/7NdzJhzjIU
– Truth Group (@omadaalithias) April 12, 2025
The response of the truth group
By posting on social media, the truth team replied that they are working in the private sector, they are not employed in ministers’ offices and their company has not received money from the State. They emphasized that they are used to attacks, which they attribute to the fact that they are annoying with their revelations, and claimed to continue their action. They also pointed out that their operation is branded and public, denying involvement in victims or fake news.