Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has been linked to the communications agency “Blue Skies,” which has been accused of spreading disinformation and smearing political opponents, BGNES reported, quoting Greek media. The agency is reportedly run by several current and former party officials closely tied to Mitsotakis and the ruling New Democracy party.

An investigation uncovered that “Blue Skies,” also known as the “Truth Group” (Omada Alitheias), plays a central role in online propaganda supporting the government. The group is active on YouTube and various social media platforms, where its videos have amassed hundreds of thousands of views. Employees of the agency, some of whom are believed to be former New Democracy staff, are alleged to conduct trolling and defamation campaigns against critics, including the families of victims of the Tempe train disaster - a tragedy whose alleged cover-up has sparked national outrage.

A further troubling element is the alleged illegal financing of New Democracy through Blue Skies. This reportedly dates back to 2016, when the party was struggling financially and Mitsotakis had just become its leader. In April, investigative newspaper Documento revealed that many individuals working for Blue Skies before the 2019 elections later secured important positions within Mitsotakis’s government. According to the report, at least half of Blue Skies’ workforce of 57 employees received payments from New Democracy during the lead-up to the elections.

Blue Skies operates as a subsidiary of V+O, a parent company whose founders are also linked to New Democracy. V+O is suspected of benefiting from public contracts awarded by local governments controlled by the conservative party, which could have helped finance Blue Skies indirectly.

On May 5, Syriza MEP and European Parliament Constitutional Affairs Committee coordinator Nikolas Farantouris formally requested that the European Commission investigate potential misuse of European funds. These funds, managed by the Hellenic Environment and Climate Change Agency (NECCA), under the Greek Ministry of Environment and Energy, are alleged to have been funneled, at least in part, to V+O.

The main opposition parties have called for clear answers and the initiation of a national judicial inquiry into the matter. Meanwhile, the government denies any formal ties to Blue Skies. This scandal, often referred to as the “Truth Group” affair, adds to a series of controversies linked to Mitsotakis and New Democracy, including the “Predatorgate” illegal wiretapping scandal and accusations of covering up the Tempe train crash. Mitsotakis’s administration has been in power since 2019.