“Will you allow Turkey to get out of the window into defense partnerships while threatening Greece and holding the northern part of Cyprus? So what does Russia do in Ukraine?“ND MEP George Eutias asked with emphasis on the hearing of the Commissioner for Economy and Vice President of the European Commission Mr. Valdis Dombrovskis, in the European Parliament in Strasbourg.

In his response, the Commissioner cited the conclusions of the Summit and stressed that “the production of military and defense material would come from EU Member States, European Economic Countries, countries from the European Free Trade Zone and Ukraine.”

The Dialogue of MEP Mr Eutia with the Vice President of the European Commission:

George Autias: Mr. Commissioner, we have met many times in Athens when I was a journalist. Fourteen billions were spent by Greece on its defense. He did not love rafale or Belharra or other weapons. However, it is threatened by Turkey. You know very well that Erdogan dreams of the big homeland one day and the other is asking for the Aegean, where many colleagues go on vacation in the summer.

My question is this: Will you allow Turkey to get out of the window into defense partnerships while threatening Greece and holding the northern part of Cyprus? So what does Russia do in Ukraine?

Dombrovskis Commissioner: We, of course, know the special situation in Greece and the fact that Greece has for many years has higher costs than the rest of the European Union states and other NATO states and we will take into account it in the context of the escape clause.

We need to look at the case of Greece, because it must also be recognized for the Safe Fund, mainly the production of military and defense material from the EU Member States, the countries of the European Economic Area, the countries from the European Free Trade Zone and from Ukraine. The opportunity is also available for other candidate countries to participate in common state supplies and in increased demand, but in this case they should sign partnership agreements that they will not lead any such projects and specifically for Turkey.

Let me tell you that we do not extend this right automatically and as you said, we focus on the development of the European Defense Industry, even if some exceptions are given. Our goal is at least 65% of the product to come from European Union states, European economic countries or countries from the European Free Transaction Zone or from Ukraine.