Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis with affiliates of Omada Alithias, via V+O and Blue Skies. Image created by the author.
With a combined following of over half a million across Facebook, TikTok, YouTube, and X (formerly Twitter), the Truth Team, Omada Alithias in Greek, has become a key player in Greece’s digital media ecosystem. In the beginning, Omada Alithias presented itself as a grassroots initiative to counter online misinformation; however, the group has increasingly come under scrutiny from journalists, opposition parties, and media watchdogs for its perceived strong alignment with the ruling party of Greece, led by Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
What started as a seemingly independent organization evolved into a well-resourced communications network, with reported connections to private firms, political campaigns, and government ministries. Critics have pointed out how this transformation reflects a pressing issue in Greece: the blurred lines between public messaging, private influence, and political partisan propaganda.
Omada Alithias’ background and evolution
Omada Alithias first gained traction in the early 2010s under Antonis Samaras, then president of the New Democracy party. They operated frequently online, influenced by the Truth Team created by Barack Obama's campaign team back in 2012. Omada Alithias would cultivate easy-to-share content, such as short-form videos, memes, and clipped news commentaries, often targeting opposition politicians or activists.
Greek economist and politician Yanis Varoufakis confronts journalist and moderator Sofia Tountouri, who echoed government rhetoric and defended Omada Alithias against him, highlighting its troubling influence in attacking opposition voices. Screenshot from MeRA25’s YouTube channel. Fair use.
Among the group’s most notable controversies is its origin story. In 2013, following a bombing incident at The Mall Athens, Omada Alithias disseminated a falsified video related to the case. Essentially, they edited the video of SYRIZA MP Vangelis Diamantopoulos, who appeared to be rallying for violence against the shopping center. Later, it was confirmed that the video had been tampered with, and Omada Alithias momentarily paused operations after being accused of intentionally spreading disinformation.
Although they were back in the spotlight a few years later, they were elevated to their current prominent status through the current Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. They frequently criticized their opposition, such as SYRIZA, smearing the previous government online for its failures.
Another significant defamation incident occurred in November 2022, just before the anniversary of the Polytechnic Uprising against the Greek military junta of 1967–1974, when Omada Alithias published videos online about the event, reducing the Junta’s accountability by sharing inaccurate information about the historical moment. Attempts to favorably characterize the dictatorial regime by criticizing those who have opposed it caused widespread outrage.
In recent times, government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis and Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis made public comments that individuals within Omada Alithias had no connection to the Prime Minister’s office nor to the ruling party.
Strikingly, reports have surfaced of the overlaps between Blue Skies, a private communications firm co-owned by prominent figures in the Greek advertising industry, including Thomas Varvitsiotis and Yiannis Olympios. Over time, key members of Omada Alithias, such as Kimonas Benos and Kostas Doganis, were also found working at Blue Skies, which operates under the larger PR umbrella of V+O Communication, an integral player in Greek political consulting.
The network
Investigations by Documento media outlet revealed that nearly half of Blue Skies’ staff had previously held positions within the New Democracy party, or were later hired in government positions. Among those are Thanos Bakolas, appointed senior advisor to Prime Minister Mitsotakis, and Konstantinos Kyranakis, who now serves as Deputy Minister. Even Domna-Maria Michailidou, a current government minister, was reportedly affiliated with Blue Skies, though this detail has been omitted from her public CVs.
These links and patterns have made many believe that Blue Skies is an unofficial extension of New Democracy’s communication strategy, operating in a space where the distinction between public service and party compliance is increasingly opaque.
To make matters even more complicated, media sources reported that the Greek National Intelligence Service was involved in surveilling the two most prominent communications strategists, Varvitsiotis and Olympios. Yet neither of these very influential individuals pursued any legal action, which many speculate is due to their cozy relationship with the firm and the state.
Financial and legal issues
Alongside the controversial staffing and influence, Blue Skies has also come under scrutiny for its alleged financial misconduct. A report showed how most of the company’s revenue, despite a limited client base, was channeled directly into payroll, raising concerns about whether it has been operating as a de facto political slush fund for the ruling party.
Another controversy revolved around Omada Alithias’s use of extrajudicial demands, allegedly signed by current government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis, against journalists and critics. This is the same individual who had said the firm had no ties to the official governing party. The use of legal intimidation is no surprise in Greece, and it has amplified concerns about press freedom, especially following the repeated targeting of the survivors of the 2023 Tempi train disaster who criticized the government's handling of the situation.
A user on X quotes Maria Karystianou, a mother who lost her daughter in the Tempi train crash and is now a vocal critic and activist, highlighting the troubling issue of Omada Alithias targeting their activism toward the government:
Μ. Καρυστιανού:
Μια ομάδα εντεταλμένων υπό τον τίτλο “ομάδα αλήθειας” έχει ως στόχο την δολοφονία χαρακτήρων.
Χρηματοδοτούνται από δημόσια ταμεία για να δουλεύουν προς όφελος της ΝΔ.
Όταν μιλήσαμε μας απείλησαν.
Η Ελλάδα δεν είναι κράτος δικαίου.#τεμπη_εγκλημα #τεμπη_συγκάλυψη pic.twitter.com/h3SjAhWtWy— omg3lolz (@omg3lolz) May 16, 2025
M. Karystianou:
A group of agents under the title ‘truth team’ aims to assassinate characters.
They are funded by public funds to work for the benefit of the New Democracy party.
When we spoke, they threatened us.
Greece is not a state governed by the rule of law. #tempi_crime #tempi_coverup
A reality in digital authoritarianism
Omada Alithias is a deeply concerning tool that weaponizes distorted information to serve its political agenda. Utilizing social media to influence or shift public opinion seems to be their goal. What is more concerning is their efforts to intimidate dissent, just like the government’s effort to crack down on all political dissidents. Many critics pointed out how Omada Alithias works as a propaganda unit to serve and protect the interests of the New Democracy party.
Despite their name, Omada Alithias, the so-called Truth Team, has done more to distort than defend the truth. Its trajectory from online “truth team” to a tool for the state spreading disinformation reflects a broader trend in Greece, such as the normalization of digital authoritarianism in democratic states.
It is crucial to observe how groups like Omada Alithias operate and investigate who funds, employs, and benefits from them. In Greece and beyond, it seems that messaging and manipulation are blurring the lines between truth and fiction all too often. The public deserves to know who is shaping their reality.
