Greece’s strategic priority is strengthening the European defense and security mechanisms, and the European defense arm, National Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said in an interview to Kathimerini newspaper and journalist Vassilis Nedos published on Sunday.
“That is why we promoted the EIRINI operation, that is why we play a key role in the ASPIDES operation, that is why we support the unified defense planning,” Dendias said, referring to EU initiatives.
“Creating a defense dome over Europe will further contribute to the protection of our country through the synergies developed with our partners and allies,” Dendias said. Independently, however, Greece is also moving in the direction of quickly creating a Greek antidrone dome, he added, allowing Greek Armed Forces to operate without threats from the air by airplanes or UAVs.
Dendias also spoke of the Hellenic Center of Defense Innovation (ELKAK), which will bring Greece to a different era and comprise the ‘heart’ of the ecosystem in defense. “It will provide critical funding to promote innovation in defense, and at the same time help in the collaboration among Armed Forces, universities, military schools, research centers, and businesses.” The purpose, he said would be “to tranform Greece gradually from a consumer of armaments from other countries to a producer of high-tech defense systems and power multipliers. To put it simply, for Greece to survive, it must update its Armed Forces. We are behind.”
The defense minister also spoke of the collaboration with France on state-of-the-art FDI frigates and the F-35 program.
Commenting on Greek-Turkish relations, he said that “the calmer situation in the field is positive.” He added however that “Turkiye continues to promote its revisionist viewpoints with various excuses, challenging the sovereignty and sovereign rights of Greece, persisting in the casus belli and the unfounded Turkish-Libyan memorandum, raising new issues, such as that of the marine parks, or applying the practice of radio interference on ships and airplanes that are within Greek territorial waters and within Greek airspace, respectively.”
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
