Greece's "ELPIDA" Movement Accuses PM Mitsotakis of "Fake News" Amid Political Woes

The Independent Civic Movement "ELPIDA for Democracy" has sharply criticized Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, asserting that he is resorting to "fake news" to mitigate political erosion. The movement claims the Prime Minister presented a distorted picture of Greece, detached from reality, particularly concerning national issues, the rule of law, press freedom, and the investigation into the Tempi tragedy.

Challenging Mitsotakis's assertion of near-zero Turkish military air activity in the Aegean over the past two years, the movement cited Hellenic National Defence General Staff data. These figures reportedly show hundreds of violations and infringements of the Athens FIR by Turkish aircraft between 2024 and 2026. The movement also pointed to reports from European and international organizations that consistently highlight problems in the Greek justice system's operation. The World Justice Project's Rule of Law Index, they noted, shows a downward trend for Greece in recent years.

Regarding press freedom, "ELPIDA for Democracy" referenced the Reporters Without Borders (RSF) rankings, stating that Greece remains among the lowest-ranked EU member states. The movement also addressed the Tempi tragedy, criticizing the Prime Minister's statements about the possibility of illegal cargo. They referred to findings and reports suggesting the presence of hydrocarbon chemicals and called for a deeper investigation into the incident.

In its concluding remarks, the movement accused the Prime Minister of systematic misinformation. "One would expect from an extensive interview by a Prime Minister desperately trying to curb his political slide, to hear a serious update on the country's situation... Instead, we saw once again Mr. Mitsotakis underestimating our intelligence and resorting to fake news to present a fairytale image that has no relation to what citizens are experiencing, nor to the real economy, nor to what official national and international bodies clearly record," the statement read. The movement expressed deep concern over the government's handling of critical national issues.

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One would expect from an extensive interview by a Prime Minister desperately trying to curb his political slide, to hear a serious update on the country's situation... Instead, we saw once again Mr. Mitsotakis underestimating our intelligence and resorting to fake news to present a fairytale image that has no relation to what citizens are experiencing, nor to the real economy, nor to what official national and international bodies clearly record.