Mr. Hardalias emphasized that only in 2023, the appropriations for salaries provided for in the defense budget show an increase of 4.6% or 105 million compared to 2022 and amount to approximately 2.6 billion euros.
“This government has decided that the issues of national defense, of our security, are of first priority, they are an absolute end in themselves.
This is clear and it is reflected through specific data”, emphasized the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Nikos Hardalias, who, speaking on the bill for the Care of Armed Forces personnel, accused the opposition parties of trying to completely level everything that has been achieved, not just the ministry, but the country, in matters of security.
In order to respond – as he said – to the leveling verbal acrobatics that were heard throughout the drafting process of the bill, he submitted a series of facts and figures, according to which: “In the period 2015-2019 and as far as the development of the equipment programs is concerned, we had 40 opinions with 32 activation decisions.
From the day the current government took over until today, we have had 197 opinions with 459 activation decisions, which practically means that in the same period 2015-2019 we had twenty-one contracted programs amounting to 4,009,058,341 euros.
These are not disputed. What do we have from 2019 to 2022? Against the 21 programs we have 68 programs, which we have contracted. Against 4 billion, we have 10,437,214,139 euros. This is the reality, just as the reality is that nineteen programs are currently underway, amounting to 11,568,313,842 euros”.
Referring to what was heard about the contracts of the Greek State with Greek companies and provision under construction work in the context of contracts with foreign companies, he said that in the period 2015-2019 in 12 sub-programmes 72,500,000 were allocated to Greek companies, while from 2019 until 2022, in 14 sub-programmes (only one includes 14 companies) 315,199,028 euros.
“‘So in the part of the defense industry that you point the finger at us, 72 million in your four years, 315,199,028 in our four years” he said addressing? the seats of the official opposition.
Regarding the research and development programs with the participation of Greek companies and national or European funding, he said that in 2015-2019 SYRIZA registered zero programs and zero euros, while in 2019-2022, 72 programs were developed and 1,595,033,879 euros were allocated.
The Deputy Minister of National Defense also responded to the criticism that the Armed Forces officers were not strengthened by the state budget, while billions were spent on equipment, after emphasizing that the government is not satisfied with what it has provided so far overall to the officers , however, has made enormous progress, with the country prospering and has made it clear that step by step along this path we will return to normality and we will be able to provide the Armed Forces officers with what they really deserve, he emphasized that this is a far cry from that which was heard, that not the least has been disposed of. He specifically mentioned that a total of 260 million euros are available and in particular:
– Compensation for night work: Beneficiaries of all staff, 25 million.
– Reinforcement of executives through travel expenses during the four years: Beneficiaries of all military and civilian personnel due to increased operational employment, 84.6 million.
– The extension of the tax exemption from 65% to 100% of hazard allowances with beneficiaries of Special Forces airmen and personnel, 17 million.
– Abolition of the special levy, Article 38 of Law 3986/2011, 1% of the salaries of active staff, 20 million.
– Maintenance of 2% in the pension replacement rate for each year, after the 45th of insurance, 5 million.
– Increase in allowances of special conditions, navigable and special missions, 25 million.
– Today’s bill makes available benefits that come from the regular budget of 9 million, plus the 43 million that was decided today to be given as a refund of reservations to our retirees starting January 1, 2021.
– The harmonization of the salary with the administrative grade of the Long Term Volunteers is also underway, in consultation with the Ministry of Finance.
– 8.6 million is available for long-term volunteer staff that came from adjutant-lieutenant.
– The legislative regulation to increase the salaries of students of productive schools – in consultation with the Ministry of Finance – concerns 5.5 million.
– The legislative regulation for the increase in the salaries of armed forces concerns 13 million.
– The Presidential Decree on health care, which is currently in the CoE for review and includes the issue of equalizing the maternity allowance to 1300 euros for officers and non-commissioned officers, concerns 3 million.
“The total is 260 million. We haven’t given a single euro? Are we devaluing our staff? We are the only government that really, based on the data that exists, has made progress in this part. And we will continue in exactly the same direction, because really we believe in the need for everything that our executives offer to the poor of the country, to be able to approach them in terms that will really recognize their effort” emphasized Mr. Hardalias in conclusion.
“The tragedy we all experienced last Monday reminds us of our enduring debt to the Armed Forces personnel, who during the difficult twelve-year period of the memorandums and enhanced oversight suffered many cuts and injustices, perhaps more than any other branch of the public sector. I am therefore satisfied that today, after an admittedly significant period of consultation, both within the Ministry of National Defense and the General Staffs, as well as at the inter-ministerial level, we are able to present this bill, which resolves a series of problems of the executives, including the apostates, which are pending for a long time” Mr. Hardalias also mentioned.
He specifically referred to the bill’s provision to increase the allowance of special working conditions for the crews of warships on mission, as well as for the personnel of the Armed Forces performing a special mission, pointing out that this is a just reward on the part of a grateful country for those who guard “Thermopils” under particularly difficult conditions.
He also focused on the arrangements concerning the National Guard, whose institutional framework he emphasized is being significantly upgraded and he underlined that it will now be able to contribute to various emergency situations and have the training and means needed to respond to its purpose.
More generally, the responsible deputy minister emphasized that the bill contains more than 26 with a financial and generally remunerative footprint. This solves existing problems that concern our staff, such as, for example, article 22, which provides executives and their family members with the possibility of executing prescriptions for pharmaceutical coverage from the pharmacies that are contracted with EOPYY.
He explained that this provision puts an end to the anguish of the military and their families, who were constantly forced to look for a pharmacy contracted by the Ministry of Health, while at the same time red tape is combated and the medical treatment regime of the Armed Forces executives is aligned with that of the rest of the insured citizens.
With regard to the provisions on matters of a military nature included in the law and in particular the provision for the use of electronic methods and online infrastructures for the notification of the enlistment call to conscripts, provided for in Article 59, he noted that another important step is being taken for modernization and the digitization of the conscription services, the amount of bureaucracy in them is significantly reduced, while the life of the citizen preparing to fulfill his military obligations becomes easier.
Thus, another small “stone” is added to the great effort made by the government for three and a half years, for the digitization and modernization of the state, as well as the improvement of the everyday life of all Greeks.
Finally, he spoke of an “interim bill” for the implementation of the plan of the Ministry of National Defense for the radical upgrade of the level of care for military personnel, part of which was implemented during the previous three and a half years, while some other, also important issues to be resolved in the coming years.
He informed that in 2023 alone, appropriations for salaries provided for in the defense budget show an increase of 4.6% or by 105 million compared to 2022 and amount to approximately 2.6 billion euros.
Summarizing initiatives that are expected to be implemented in the near future, he informed that the ministry is working:
– for the new salary schedule for Armed Forces officers to be effective from 1.1.2024
– for the issuance of the new Presidential Decree for the health coverage of the members of the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard. The said Presidential Decree is now in the final stage of processing
– for the review of the ministerial decision on the categories of military personnel again of the Armed Forces who face particular and acute social problems
– for the revision of the ministerial decision on the regulation of the leave of the military personnel and the Armed Forces
– on the matter concerning non-commissioned officers from ASSY, while today, with the provisions of the bill, the hierarchical separation is restored
– For EPOP in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of the Interior so that at the right time a solution will be provided that will not continue the current state of insecurity
– On the issue of Skaramangas, with an amendment that is being processed in collaboration with the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labor
“We know we have a long way to go. Step by step we are moving forward, away from fireworks, away from auctions, away from verbal extremes, away from shouts, always with the consistency and terms of responsibility imposed by the times.
We know that the Armed Forces, all these years have been in the eye of a cyclone together with the whole society and especially in this difficult decade of 2010. We have tried, however, through extremely difficult economic, geopolitical and health conditions to take steps towards recovery of justice for our soldiers. And that’s what we will continue to do.
I believe that we have achieved enough and we will achieve even more in the coming years, working methodically, consistently, with stability and with seriousness” concluded Mr. Hardalias in his speech.
RES-EMP
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