“Three strikes, you’re out!” is a baseball term — … amongst others — that the Greek defence ministry’s political leadership apparently isn’t aware of, given that no less than three ministry-related stories by Proto Thema have generated few answers but numerous threats.

In short, here are three stories that Proto Thema has uncovered over the past month dealing directly with the Greek defence ministry:

— A hush-hush decision by the top government defence council (KYSEA) to fork out US$500 million for the upgrade of five 1960s-era technology maritime surveillance planes in storage since 2009, a decision taken as Greece faces its worst cash crunch in the post war period.

— An exclusive story on Deputy DM Nikos Toskas’ use of a helicopter ambulance last week for a day-trip to a city …180 kilometres away, which he claimed was necessary so he could quickly greet “Russian investors” touring a defence plant.

— Finally, reports that the current ministry general secretary, Yiannis Tafyllis, in the past collaborated with Lockheed Martin, the same defence contractor directly selected to upgrade the P-3B Orion aircraft in question. Lockheed designed and manufactured the planes … decades ago.

On Tuesday it was Alternate Defence Minister Kostas Isychos’ turn to delve into the “Orion-gate”, first telling an Athens television news programme in the morning that the “fiscal repercussions” of the deal must be re-examined, only to change his position hours later.

A subsequent written statement exclusively attacked Proto Thema for exposing the three issues, saying “we’re witnessing a targeted attack by the newspaper Proto Thema”.

Isychos refers to the story about Toskas’ “VIP ride” aboard the heli-vac without touching on the substance of the report, i.e. why take an expensive helicopter ride when you can ride in your minister’s luxury sedan … or a bus for a roughly two-hour ride to the city of Aigio?

Isychos, who worked for the state-run Olympic Airways and was involved in the labour union for OA employees before switching to party politics, also denounced Proto Thema for publishing the names of prosecution witnesses in the criminal trial of several members and MPs of the ultra-nationalist Golden Dawn party.

“We’re awaiting with interest whatever intervention by the courts (justice system) on this issue,” he stated, without citing what law he believes was violated in the pending open trial process.
The rest of the statements is mostly of a general nature, and mildly threatening. However, he doesn’t touch on the substance of the Proto Thema revelations.