Anastasis I. Karamitsos

This may be the most interesting note I’ve written in the 20 years of Proto Thema’s existence, because today my colleagues arranged interviews with truly fascinating – even remarkable – Greeks on the occasion of our anniversary.

Not just to offer the usual birthday wishes, but to ask these important people what has happened and what has changed in life, society, the arts, science, and sports since our paper was launched.

As for us, those who know us personally or have followed our writing and journalistic journey will have realized that words and self-congratulation… are not our strong suit.

Let me repeat, briefly: in recent years, a journalistic dream grew from a Sunday newspaper into a modern media group with many cutting-edge, powerful, bold, and profitable media outlets. Without shipowners, tycoons, or public works contractors as our bosses, and with a journalistic direction we believe mainly serves the interests of the country. Unfortunately, Themos, who “left” far too soon, didn’t live to see the full realization of this media group, which went through stormy waters, political intrigues and financial tempests.

If Greece is doing better, so is our work – because, quite simply, it’s our only job. When things start going sideways for the country, rest assured you’ll read about it here (or are already reading about it, where needed).

Rest assured of that – just as those in power know exactly what to expect and how we’ll respond. In the 20 years we’ve been in circulation, we did the same with Karamanlis’ New Democracy, with Papandreou’s PASOK, with Samaras, and of course with Tsipras – from the first to the very last day of his governance.

Not out of spite for SYRIZA, but because it was glaringly obvious – unless you were scared of them or had vested interests – that they would ruin the country. Thankfully, we avoided the worst, though not without tremendous income losses for citizens and damage to our national wealth.

So don’t doubt for a moment: we’ll continue today to treat power the same way we always have. We aim to remain a strong, independent news outlet. Yes, we have friends and preferences – but no patrons and no bosses.

For the history of “Proto Thema” over these past 20 years, we chose to turn to “eyewitnesses” – our colleagues who helped launch this whole thing from day one or shortly thereafter. So as not to forget, we’ve also selected a small sample of “Proto Thema journalism” with some of our front pages, which I believe represent us and have stayed in our own small history – and in political history, too.

Times have changed since 2005, when we first came out and sold an average of 250,000 copies every Sunday at the kiosks, breaking the stranglehold of the once-dominant publishing establishment of the late Lambrakis and Tegopoulos, who monopolized the #1 and #2 spots in sales. We took first place on day one and never lost it.

What hasn’t changed – even as paper lost its grip as a communication medium and the Internet took over – is the trust in our online platform, protothema.gr, whose readership has skyrocketed over the years, growing fivefold compared to that of the newspaper.

Today, based on official figures from Google (Google Analytics) and the internationally listed web analytics firm Similar Web (NYSE), around 1.2 million readers visit protothema.gr at least once a day. Simply put, the vast majority of Greeks choose to get their news from us online. All our other sites also perform exceptionally well, particularly our financial site newmoney and our “dark room” section, written by five outstanding editors.

In closing, we renew our promise to everyone who chooses us for your news: we have more drive, strength, stamina, and experience to keep getting better and to honor your trust.

The front pages that made us Proto Thema

From the very first day of publication, Proto Thema made its mark, with front pages that became points of reference. In step with society, it never bowed to the arrogance of power – no matter how high someone stood – and took a clear stance on major events.

The newborn “Proto Thema” made its intentions clear right from its very first issue. It was late February 2005, and Greece was only just beginning to sober up from the dreamlike euphoria of the 2004 Olympic Games. The government was held by New Democracy under Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis, while public opinion remained captivated by the lifestyle version of the Church, thanks, of course, to the superstar Archbishop Christodoulos. The identity showcase from “THEMA,” with its aggressive, probing, and independent journalism, would prove to be the most significant rupture in the media landscape — not just for newspapers. The first issue sold out instantly, and the establishment realized that “Proto Thema” hadn’t come just to stay, but to shake the system to its core.

#146, December 9, 2007

Even if you’re a minister, we’re still “Proto Thema”

A classic example of investigative journalism in “THEMA” style: the exposure of a sitting minister’s moral misconduct. No matter how powerful that minister — or any other who held power — they never managed to stop the newspaper from revealing the truth. Also featured on the same front page, alongside the scandal of uninsured workers under the “Pensions Minister,” as the headline noted, were Archbishop Christodoulos, Alexis Tsipras, and Julia Alexandratou. A menu à la “Proto Thema” — exclusive, as always.

#135, September 23, 2007

Nobody ever hated a Rolex

Unbelievable but true: 35 out of the 40 ministers in the newly formed New Democracy government replied positively to the “Proto Thema” question: “Where should we send you a gift? It’s a Rolex watch…” This exposé on the savoir-faire of government officials — who didn’t want to offend the undercover reporter-businessmen — sent shockwaves through the political world and Greek society, laying bare the cheapness and eagerness of power to accept bribes and perpetuate the corrupt patronage system. As for the main story of that issue, it focused on the then-favorite for PASOK leadership, Evangelos Venizelos. And the title “Why His Eyes Gleam” was a perfect match for one of the most expressive portraits ever published of Mr. Venizelos.

#73, July 16, 2006

Taking hypocrisy to the cleaners

Luxury does not suit public office, and one of the core missions of “Proto Thema” is to expose and criticize brazen displays of nouveau riche extravagance. “It’s a lot of money, Thodoris,” was the bold headline of one of the paper’s most iconic front pages, referring to the ultra-luxurious villa of Thodoris Roussopoulos, then Minister of State and right-hand man of Kostas Karamanlis. It was a bombshell scoop and a major scandal at the very heart of the government. It also confirmed that “Proto Thema” would cut no one any slack. The higher they stood, the harder our scrutiny.

#277, June 13, 2010

Akis and the “Averof”

“Where Kountouriotis hung his arms, Hrussala now belly dances,” read the caption on a photo from the shameful wedding party on the deck of the historic battleship “Averof.” The exclusive report by “Proto Thema” and the revelation that this historic warship had been handed over for the revelry of a new aristocratic clique stunned the public and even triggered political consequences. The scandal (“Utter national disgrace,” as described on the front page about the “Averof”) nearly overshadowed the lead story of the issue, which concerned the hidden fortunes of Akis Tsochatzopoulos. But as for the former minister and top-tier PASOK figure, “THEMA” had much more in store — and would return to the story later, as promised.

#190, October 12, 2008

Bad News

Greece’s carefree era was rapidly approaching its end — though no one could yet imagine how dramatic that end would turn out to be. Nevertheless, as early as October 2008, “THEMA” correctly read the ominous signs for the economy and tried to awaken both society and the government to the looming threat of collapse. Our newspaper was the first to openly raise the issue of bankruptcy, daring to show the public the real danger and how they might brace themselves for the worst.

#314, February 27, 2011

The national dilemma

“Proto Thema” turned six and, on its birthday, published the dramatic behind-the-scenes details of the meeting between then Prime Minister George Papandreou and Europe’s “Iron Lady,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The cold shower — as well as Greece’s humiliation, as the extent of the black hole in the national economy was revealed — was summed up in the headline: “New measures forever, or back to the drachma.” A phrase that, in essence, foretold Greece’s fate throughout the years of crisis and memoranda.

Welcome to the Hard Times
The headline “The IMF ready to ‘save’ Greece (…in exchange for a slice of national sovereignty)” turned out to be prophetic. The report by “THEMA,” featuring exclusive comments from a senior official of the International Monetary Fund, was something like a fast forward to the future. The government was now led by PASOK, with George Papandreou as Prime Minister, who was beginning to realize in horror the true state of the national economy. And as the saying goes, “when you stare into the abyss, the abyss stares back at you.”

#343, September 18, 2011
Zero Hour
A special edition from “THEMA,” just like newspapers used to do back in the day—when responsible journalism meant going to print immediately in times of national crisis, even before the Internet overtook news transmission speed. The editorial team, recognizing the gravity of the moment—the lenders’ troika’s blackmail and the now visible threat of a chaotic default—decided to print an emergency issue. It was even sold at a lower price, so the call for calm and unity on the edge of the cliff could reach as many citizens as possible. Faced with the country’s bottomless debt, “Proto Thema” fulfilled its own core journalistic duty.

#371, April 1, 2012
It Wasn’t an April Fool’s Joke
Greece was in turmoil and uncertainty, a climate that fueled tensions and played into the hands of extremism. The void in society was being exploited by a known neo-fascist group posing as legitimate authority. “Proto Thema” focused on the activity of this political militia, highlighting the threat it posed. On the flip side, George Papandreou remained a source of disbelief—while Greece was paying a heavy price for his decisions, he was pictured looking cheerful and “reborn,” swimming in the OAKA pool, right next to the paper’s reporter Frixos Drakontidis.

#354, December 4, 2011
Under the Sign of the Duck
After the debacle of the cancelled referendum and his resignation as Prime Minister, George Papandreou—main actor in the Greek tragedy and architect of the bailout era—publicly transformed into a caricature. The plastic duck in his hands, along with his ludicrous proposal for succession, painted a picture of a former leader slipping into farce. Meanwhile, the country’s governance had been handed over to Loukas Papademos, while the political landscape was shifting across the entire spectrum. Hence Alexis Tsipras declared to “THEMA” that “SYRIZA wants to govern.” In other news, fashion icon Lakis Gavalas was arrested—yes, for debt too

#377, May 13, 2012
Sexy Alexis
One week after the elections, the country was still skating on thin ice. The weak showing of the leading parties, combined with SYRIZA’s stunning leap from 4.6% to 16.8%, catapulted Alexis Tsipras to the forefront as a potential power broker. Meanwhile, Greece was in a temporary power vacuum, and lenders were actively drafting contingency plans to eject the country from the European Union. The specter of the drachma had become a daily presence, vividly captured in the paper’s main headline, which treated Greece’s exit from the Eurozone as a foregone conclusion.

#382, June 16–17, 2012
The Shape of Things to Come
Departing from its usual mosaic-style, headline-packed front pages, “Proto Thema” opted for a completely different layout on the day of the 2012 elections. Just three stories made it to the front page, with three-quarters of the space taken up by a single image: the profile of a man’s face, unrecognizable, shrouded in shadow. But a closer look reveals it’s Alexis Tsipras, smiling—perhaps with satisfaction—hinting at the election outcome. One of the most inspired, minimalist yet symbol-laden front pages in the paper’s history, “THEMA” warned Greeks of what was coming, pointing to the true winner of the electoral process, regardless of the final result.

Miz-Akis and Co. S.A.
A team of reporters from “Proto Thema” gains access to Akis Tsochatzopoulos’ personal archive and dives into the study of hundreds of handwritten notes. After days of painstaking investigation, the newspaper’s journalists isolate some shocking documents, the standout among them inspiring the front-page headline: “Hey S., bring back the 80 million euros.” And so, thanks to “THEMA,” the Greek public learned what the going rate was for Akis’ insatiable appetite for defense contract kickbacks.

#449, 29 September 2013

Cleansing
“Proto Thema” reports on the dismantling of the neo-Nazi formation that had managed to gain footholds in Greek society by capitalizing on the despair caused by the financial crisis. It was preceded by the murder of Pavlos Fyssas, a tragic and heinous act that pushed the government at the time to consolidate all the charges and deliver one decisive, knockout blow. Notably, the newspaper points out that this move was “Democracy’s first victory” after a long stretch of confusion and inaction.

#478, 19-20 April 2014

A series of suspense and mystery
Looking like a poster for an epic movie or a streaming platform drama, the illustration of the main story in “THEMA’s” Easter front page is unforgettable. It’s April 2014, and the Greek public is closely and anxiously following developments on the political stage. In our very own “Game of Thrones,” the protagonists appear in duos, and the country’s future hinges on three different yet interconnected duels: on the left, the center, and a space under formation, contested by figures from outside politics. Strange, uncertain times.

#518, 24-25 January 2015

First time left (or something like that)
The moment Alexis Tsipras had waited for his entire political career finally arrives. All signs point to a SYRIZA victory, although no one can foresee what comes the day after. “Proto Thema” captures this paradoxical feeling—certainty of success paired with complete bafflement over what lies ahead—with one simple warning: “Fasten your seatbelts.” Once again, the newspaper acts as a prophet of the chaos to come. And woe to anyone who dismissed the seatbelt advisory, because the landing turned out to be brutally rough and painful.

#541, 4-5 July 2015

The “No” that would become “Yes”
In a bogus and unconstitutional referendum, with a misleading dilemma and a government trying to manipulate voters even through the ballot design (“No” on top, “Yes” at the bottom), “THEMA” pushes back against Greece’s suicidal tendencies. Dedicated to supporting the “Yes” vote, the newspaper’s front page reads like a desperate leaflet urging Greeks, even at the eleventh hour, to wake up and realize where they were heading by backing reckless and opportunistic populists. Whose backpedaling was, of course, inevitable.

#547, 15-16 August 2015

Zoe is elsewhere
After stoking Greek division, after turning the thunderous “No” into a limp “Yes” in the phony referendum, Alexis Tsipras faced internal party rifts. SYRIZA split into “pro-memorandum” and “anti-memorandum” factions, fractured as left-wing parties always eventually do, but stayed in power supposedly having pivoted to rational governance. Meanwhile, “Proto Thema” spotted Zoe Konstantopoulou, who as Speaker of the House had fought against the ratification of the third Tsipras-authored bailout, enjoying a carefree swim in Evia. Anyone looking for her at the time could’ve just asked “THEMA” to track her down.

#587, 22 May 2016

Delusions of permanence
The lead story centers on the surrender of national sovereignty through contracts that committed public assets to creditors under terms no center-right government—not even that of Loukas Papademos—would have dared to sign. The “first time left” did it for them, having morphed into a dutiful servant of the Troika, which it had rebranded as “the institutions.” However, “Proto Thema’s” bombshell revelation concerned a sex scandal at the Venezuelan embassy, which came to light despite top-down efforts to bury it.

#701, 29 July 2018

Mati
With a literally scorched front page, “Proto Thema” undertakes a first dissection of the unthinkable tragedy in Mati. With a massive 40-page investigative report, the paper records the full scope of the devastation and traces the blame for the deaths of dozens of people. At that time, the total death toll of 104 had not yet been precisely confirmed, but it was clear that the coordinated incompetence of all responsible authorities amounted to inexcusable, criminal negligence.

#675, 28 January 2018

North Macedonia
Greece is rocked by a wave of demonstrations against the government’s plans under Alexis Tsipras to finalize the Prespa Agreement and recognize North Macedonia. The front page reflects widespread Greek opposition to these ongoing—and already set in motion—maneuvers on one of the country’s most sensitive national issues. The interview with Mikis Theodorakis in “THEMA” was perhaps his last weighty, politically charged public statement from one of Greece’s greats.

#595, 17 July 2016

The FaceTime fortress
With a special edition, “THEMA” covers, literally until the moment the paper went to print, the dramatic developments of the failed military coup attempt in Turkey. Since the uprising unfolded on a Friday night after the paper’s content had closed, a large portion of pre-prepared pages had to be scrapped. No problem—that’s what “Proto Thema” is for. The headline “You’ve got a coup on your phone,” with a brilliantly sharp pun, perfectly captures the unprecedented phenomenon: the would-be topplers of Erdoğan are defeated by him—on social media.

#750, 6-7 July 2019

Let’s vote
With a cartoon taking up nearly the entire front page, “THEMA” addresses its readers, urging them not to choose abstention over showing up at the polls. The line “You can black out the ballot too” was not just clever and inspired—it was prophetic, considering the outcome of that election and the upheaval it caused, with the heavy defeat of Mr. Tsipras, who up to then dubbed himself “invincible.” Greece was ready and determined to turn the page, to move forward, leaving delusions behind.

#1015, 4 August 2024

The “pool”
With yet another exclusive, “Proto Thema” exposes a glaring illegality committed by a man who had promised to restore Greek society to the path of virtue and legality. Unsurprisingly, the newspaper became public enemy number one for SYRIZA’s short-lived leader, though that didn’t faze us in the slightest. To each their craft and their morals, after all. Some people build illegal swimming pools in historical districts, and others expose them.

#1046, 9 March 2025

We’re still here
As “THEMA” celebrates 20 years in print, its passion for news-hunting remains undiminished—as does its awareness of the duty that comes with being the country’s top weekly newspaper: to sound the necessary alarms, to raise awareness, and to shake public opinion awake. Sliding back into chaos cannot be an option for Greece in 2025—especially amid wider global turmoil. In some future retrospective like this one—say, for the 30- or 40-year anniversary (may we all be well!) of “Proto Thema’s” founding—we should be looking back not on disasters, but on triumphs.

#799, 14 June 2020

Ideological wealth
With a monumental front page, absolutely emblematic of the newspaper’s ethos—and with the brilliant title “Papadimouville”—“Proto Thema” both reveals the full extent of the real estate holdings of a prominent SYRIZA figure and exposes the hypocrisy of those who portray themselves as protectors of the people, in solidarity with the poor and the downtrodden, while in reality operating like cold-blooded businessmen, driven solely by profit.

#831, 24 January 2021

Voices break the silence
With Sofia Bekatorou’s interview in the magazine supplement “Marie Claire,” “Proto Thema” was the first outlet to open Pandora’s box on what would become known as the “Greek #MeToo.” Going even further, the paper published fresh revelations of long-buried sexual abuse cases and brought to light a grim truth long silenced. The oppression suffered by the victims was coming to an end; “THEMA” amplified and empowered the voices of those who had endured in silence for years, and led the charge in one of the largest clean-up efforts in Greek public life ever undertaken.