Left Group MEP and Coordinator on the European Parliament’s Committee on Constitutional Affairs, Nikolas Farantouris submitted a formal written question to the European Commission on Friday, calling for an investigation into possible breaches of EU transparency laws regarding political party financing by Greece’s ruling party, New Democracy.
The intervention comes in the wake of reports from Inside Story, Politico, and Documento, which allege that the communications firm Blue Skies—with close personal and political ties to members of New Democracy—served as a conduit for shadow funding and online propaganda in support of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis. These efforts are said to have been financed through state resources allocated by public bodies.
Farantouris is asking the European Commission to examine whether these practices violate EU rules governing transparency and integrity in political party operations. He also questions whether these actions merit formal intervention by EU institutions to safeguard the rule of law in Greece.
“Transparency in political funding and the fair functioning of political parties are cornerstones of democracy in the European Union. We cannot tolerate shadow financing or manipulation of public opinion by ruling parties through intermediary companies funded by public entities,” Farantouris stated.
Context: Broader Concerns About Rule of Law in Greece
This inquiry is set against the backdrop of the European Commission’s 2024 Rule of Law Report on Greece, which highlights several critical shortcomings:
Limited transparency in party audits: The Audit Committee identified financial irregularities in a significant number of political parties for the fiscal year 2021, resulting in sanctions.
Non-compliance and delays: Some parties failed to fully comply with disclosure obligations, and delays were recorded in submitting financial statements, along with vague data on campaign expenses from the two national elections in 2023.
Civil society criticism: Despite improvements, civil society organizations point to a lack of public disclosure, slow enforcement of penalties, and restricted access to information on potential violations.
OECD findings: Greece meets only 60% of the regulatory framework criteria and 71% of the implementation standards for political financing. Furthermore, there is a lack of publicly available data on violations and imposed penalties.
Central Issue: Links Between New Democracy and “Blue Skies”
In this context, the alleged ties between New Democracy and the Blue Skies firm raise concerns about possible circumvention of political transparency laws and unequal treatment of political competitors—particularly critical in the lead-up to national and European elections.
Farantouris, in his capacity as both an MEP and coordinator of the Constitutional Affairs Committee, is urging the European Commission to take concrete action to ensure the integrity of democratic governance in Greece, protect core rule-of-law principles, and safeguard the credibility of the EU electoral framework.
