“Greece is a country that respects international law, it is a deterrent force. Greece is not claiming anything, but it must be clear that our country is not conceding anything”, said the parliamentary representative of PASOK, Michalis Katrinis, who asked to speak immediately after the speech of the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias.

“Certainly diplomacy is the preferred path, but in any case, it is also the correlation of power that ultimately, many times forces some who may have revisionist plans to come to a perspective of respect for international law,” said Michalis Katrinis, who emphasized that with Turkey “there must be a specific framework for dialogue and not a dialogue on everything scientific”. This did not become clear in the last four years, observed the PASOK parliamentary representative, in the national delegation or even at the highest level of the Council of Political Leaders, what is this dialogue framework with Turkey.

“With a sense of responsibility, we also supported the defense agreements and the renewal and supply of equipment programs precisely because we must be ready for any eventuality. But I heard both the Prime Minister and Mr. Dendias refer to the armament programs – I did not hear a word about the corvettes – that you are supporting the domestic defense industry, when a total of 22 billion euros, in the Greek defense and shipbuilding industry, so far, has assigned 320 million euros”, remarked Mr. Katrinis. The PASOK parliamentary representative also said that a message must be sent to partners and allies that Greece does not accept and does not tolerate, by a country that is considered an ally to be armed by EU countries and continue to be an international troublemaker in violation of international law.

The parliamentary representative of Freedom of Navigation, Alexandros Kazamias, said that his party sees positively the framework of talks that have started with Turkey. He observed, however, that there may be a strong contradiction in the government’s policy, which on the one hand tends to the olive branch and on the other hand has indulged in an arms race, such that it is difficult to measure. “If there is a framework for exploring peaceful solutions, why are the armament programs being sharpened at such a speed? You may feel that this way you are putting some pressure on the neighbor but there is also the risk of sending the wrong message that you don’t mean what you are saying and this will undermine the dialogue. That is why it would be positive to have a more balanced position, between diplomacy and defense policy”, said the parliamentary representative of Plefsis Eleftherias. Mr. Kazamias also called on the Minister of National Defense to answer how he perceives the discussion of a “modernizing transition” to replace military service with a professional army given the effectiveness of professional armies in global security. “We stick to a traditional understanding of the military, which I think is more related to internal and cultural issues than to defense policy priorities,” said the parliamentary representative of Freedom of Navigation.

SYRIZA’s parliamentary representative Theodora Tzakri said that before the elections the ND government “played hide and seek with the national issues and wanted to hide from the Greek people the secret diplomacy and the changes it was preparing. He got the vote of the citizens by pretending to be patriots with crowns for the consulate and with gatherings in front of the statue of M. Alexandros, although today Mr. Dendias threw Mr. Mitsotakis’ patriot meter into the trash can.” The parliamentary representative of SYRIZA called on the government not to continue the “hiding” but to speak clearly. “We heard that you will redefine Greek-Turkish relations and carve out a path of rapprochement, without Greece backing down on its red lines, but what promises is Mr. Erdogan talking about that you gave him, you haven’t told us a word. Will you tell us, Mr. Minister? Also, you did not tell us what the red lines are, what will happen with the extension of territorial waters to 12 nautical miles, what will happen with the settlement of the EEZ and the continental shelf issues, what will happen with what degree of retreat of Greece in demands of our allies and partners on the issue of the war in Ukraine, as it is developing,” said Mr. Tzakri and emphasized that the government has not said a word about sovereign rights and exploitation. He also invited Nikos Dendias to explain “where he discovered, in his recent visit to Cyprus, that there is an opportunity to resolve the Cyprus problem”. He also said that the government has no plan to strengthen the Greek defense industry which “remains a spectator and not a co-producer of the armaments programs”.

“I think we can find identical views on our defense industry”, said the Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias in response and added that the defense industry must develop in the century of innovation. “This is not done with objections in the room. A fresh approach is needed that will first deal with existing pathologies”, said Mr. Dendias and added that he will always be open to “fresh ideas”, and ready to inform his fellow MPs, the parties “with the door open, with the door closed, it depends from the subject”.

In relation to the armament programs, Mr. Dendias pointed out that “a few months ago, Greece faced the most difficult years we have ever faced in relations with Turkey, and in fact after a 10-year crisis that did not allow Greece to pursue armaments programs that were already developing in Turkey”. It remains an absolute necessity to equip and re-equip the EDs, said Nikos Dendias and added that this is a necessary condition for a peaceful resolution of the dispute.

In relation to the professional army, the Minister of National Defense pointed out that Great Britain, which has a professional army, is an island, it has no border threat and every time it faced a major threat, it applied universal conscription of its citizens. Mr. Dendias informed the national delegation that in the next period there will be legislative regulation for the new EPOD. “You need a mix. I’m a big believer in tenure, I believe in social service, I’m a big believer in using tenure as a time to acquire great skills. Israel is known to everyone, there are other important examples that the time of service is a time of giving and training, in a fast-changing society, in a fast-changing economy, and new skills are needed,” said the Minister of National Defense.

Commenting on what Mrs. Tzakri said about “secret diplomacy”, the Minister of National Defense emphasized that “in a government that signed around 270 agreements that were submitted to the national delegation, you cannot accuse it of secret diplomacy. It’s all about the texts.”

Finally, regarding what the SYRIZA parliamentary representative said about the Cyprus issue, the Minister of National Defense underlined that “Greece is not discussing a two-state solution” and this is the national position of the Greek democracy.