The Deputy Minister of National Defense Yiannis Kefalogiannis answered topical questions in Parliament regarding the use of U.S. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (MEA) stationed in Larissa to support an attack with ATACMS Missiles in Crimea and regarding the Technician Training Center in Patras.

Specifically:

Answering the topical question of the president of “NIKIS” Dimitris Natsios, regarding reports about the use of US drones stationed in Larissa to support an attack with ATACMS missiles in Crimea, the Deputy Minister of National Defense stated that the “American source » Mr. Jackson Hinkle, cited by Mr. Natsios is known for promoting misleading news and conspiracy theories, as well as supporting Vladimir Putin in the Ukraine war. In fact, he has been banned from various social media for misinformation. His show was banned from Twitch for violating disinformation policies and spreading disinformation about the war in Ukraine, and was also removed from Youtube.

He further reiterated that the upgraded mutual defense cooperation agreement with the US allows the United States government to maintain and operate specific military and support facilities at specific Greek Armed Forces installations, such as Larissa Air Base.

Specific military and support facilities are defined as flight operations, maintenance, and support of United States naval cooperation and reconnaissance aircraft, aviation support and logistical support, aircraft refueling, aircraft landing and recovery, temporary aircraft maintenance , to carry out, among other things, missions – naval cooperation and reconnaissance aircraft activities, or assistance activities in dealing with humanitarian crises and natural disasters or joint trainings, etc., he added.

It is an interstate agreement that clearly defines the permitted actions, rights, obligations, and limits of cooperation of the two sides, the legal status of US personnel in Greek territory, as well as the general principles on which defense cooperation is based of the two states.

All of the above, i.e. exercise of rights, obligations, actions, as long as they take place within the Greek territory.

Therefore, outside of Greek territory, the missions undertaken by US aircraft, manned or unmanned, are the competence and therefore the responsibility of the US, which exercises full operational and administrative control, without the obligation to inform the Greek side, he clarified.

Moreover, responding to a topical question in the Parliament about the Technician Training Center (KETX) in Patras, Mr. Kefalogiannis stated:

– Regarding the staffing of civil staff trainers of technical specialties: In the current time period, the processing of the announcement by ASEP is in progress. There are more general issues of civilian understaffing in the Armed Forces following the ten-year economic crisis and the budgetary constraints it imposed. We are discussing with the Ministry of the Interior to meet the priorities set by the General Staff.

– For the removal of asbestos: In the near future, the asbestos roofs will be removed in all parts of the facilities of the “Mouzaki” camp, where the K.E.TX is based. . We are also finalizing the proposal for the inclusion in the 2021-2027 NSRF of Western Greece of the energy upgrade of KETX buildings, with a total value of 989,368.00 Euros and 617,656.60 Euros.

– For training matters: KETX already operates as an Interbranch Technical Training Center for the Armed Forces and Security Forces, while a memorandum of cooperation between KETX and the Public IEK of Western Achaia has been signed, with the ultimate goal of upgrading of their educational work in the subjects of Mechanical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering Technology, Electrical-Electronics, in the Energy sector and in Automatic Control Systems. possibility to obtain a training certificate in specific specialties and a certificate of work experience.

He further disclosed that he has directed the Staff to work out solutions to address the lack of a crèche, a military pharmacy and an adequate number of hostels to accommodate personnel traveling to the area for operational or training purposes.