Geopolitical developments provide a unique opportunity to Greece’s domestic defense industry, National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said at the DEFEA 2023 Defense and Security Fair in Greece on Tuesday.
The ministry, he said, negotiates for the Greek industry’s significant inclusion in every contract signed through its General Directorate for Defense Investments and Armaments (GDAEE). For example, the domestic defense industry will contribute around 30% of the upcoming contract for corvettes that will be signed by the next government, Panagiotopoulos added.
The European Union will also provide support to companies that need to speed up production of some materials in EU member states, to add to depleted stock of material sent to Ukraine such as 155 mm artillery shells. “Ukraine has such high need of these shells, that all countries end up depleting their stocks,” Panagiotopoulos said.
At DEFEA, the Greek minister toured pavilions and met with his counterparts Guido Crosetto of Italy and North Macedonia Slavjanka Petrovska, with whom he discussed bilateral collaboration and the East Mediterranean security issues.
The annual Defense Exhibition opened on Tuesday afternoon and will continue to Thursday (May 9-11) at the Metropolitan Expo Athens. A total of 346 exhibitors from 28 countries signed up for it.
SOURCE; ANA-MPA
