Europe is not only a geographical space, it is not a defensive alliance, Europe is much more than that. It is a very ambitious venture, perhaps the most ambitious in the history of humanity, coexistence of societies, states, peoples, with a common value. This is described in the conditions. The value framework is democracy, human rights, the rule of law, the rights of women. To work with someone, to defend this value framework – which incidentally includes UNCLOS, the contract for the law of the sea and is part of the European acquis – we must choose countries that believe it, which co -sign it. This was emphasized, inter alia, by the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, speaking about Rearm Europe, in the debate he had today with journalist Vassilis Nedos, on “New Greek Policy Policy and Agenda 2030” in the framework of the Defea 20 Defense and Security Exhibition.

The minister clarified that Greece “does not seek to turn Europe into an anti -Turkish coalition” and continued: “We want cooperation, we are always applying a handful of friendship and cooperation to Turkey and to all other countries, but with conditions – and the conditions are not made by Greece. It is not ‘à la carte’ that we have chosen because they are convenient or do not convenient for anyone else, it is the conditions that Europe has agreed to exist as a distinct entity, to exist as a European Union, to exist as a historical venture. “

“We talk to the Turks, we meet the Turks, but we don’t forget. We cannot help but mention when we meet a country, that it has issued us a threat of war, to pretend that this does not exist. We cannot forget that there is the ‘Turkolibyy Memorandum’, which is against common sense – not the law of the sea, the simple common sense. A memorandum that passes over Crete as if it didn’t exist. These things are not withstanding criticism. We cannot represent that they do not exist. I wish Turkey would get them out of the table, “the Minister of National Defense said.

“I recall that Greece is actually, along with the Republic of Cyprus, the main supporters of the European future of Turkey. But how? On the obvious term of acceptance of the European acquis. There is no other way, it is not ‘à la carte’ participation in the European venture, “Mr Dendias added.

In order to exploit the immovable property of the Armed Forces, Mr Dendias stressed that resources would be secured “to improve the payroll and standard of living of our executives”. Speaking about changes in the term, he analyzed, saying that a new way is needed “that the Greek citizen will serve his homeland, which will make sense”. And “it will make sense for the homeland, a new cycle of education, a 21st century soldier, will make sense to him. He will acquire qualifications that will allow him to be the job market afterwards, to be useful to himself and useful in society. “

“After the term of office we will go to the reserve and the ethnic guard,” Mr Dendias underlined, adding: “We have set a goal, to have a number of 150,000 active, trained active reserves, who will help the active army and of course all the new Careers. Forces. “

“They have all changed now, the Armed Forces executives in fact, in their vast majority, will be advanced technology products. The image of the 19th and 20th century army has nothing to do with the Army, the Navy, the 21st century Air Force, ”explained the Minister of National Defense.

Speaking about the steps taken in the context of the “Agenda 2030”, Mr Dendias referred to ELKAK, describing the center as “very important”, because with its function the innovation is treated “as a factor in preventing deterrence and economic development”.

At the same time, he continued, stressing that “it has been approved – after the Hellenic Parliament has been informed – the new structure of forces, which is an important reform step and combined with the mergers of camps and units.”

“The twelve -year -olds have gone through an additional eight years of equipment, which for the first time in Greek history, gives a clear visibility where we go, where we are going, what we want to do and also now that we are discussing, tomorrow I hope that the Greek Parliament will vote for the reform.”

For the participation of the domestic defense industry in the equipment program, Mr Dendias clarified that there are areas where “the Greek defense industry, the Greek ecosystem, can get 100%” and not just 25%.

In particular, he said that “with the modern soldier, who is a program of about 300 million in the equipment, it can all be carried out, served by the Greek defense industry as a whole.”

“There are,” he analyzed, “other programs that will be less, but we are targeting 25%. And I think it’s achievement. “

The goal, he said, is to give “a visibility to the Greek defense industry, the Greek ecosystem on a 20 -year horizon” to “invest and ready to provide products and services that are not ready to provide today”.

“We are aiming for an export activity. That is, defense spending must be leverage of development activity, wealth creation, job creation and exports. Greece has long been suffering from the deficit of the foreign payment balance. A country suffering from there is deeply suffering. This must be corrected. It is a problem in the country’s economic model of development. To the extent that we are in the Ministry of National Defense, we should also contribute to its correction, ”the Minister of National Defense explained.

Mr Dendias also referred to the added value of innovation, and did not fail to explain that several defense industry products “are dual -use products”. “That is,” he said, “they are not just about the needs of Defense, they can also have commercial use outside of this piece. So we’re talking about a much bigger market. “

The minister said that “the country has suffered from opacity” and stressed “that by 2004 we spent equipment – close to equipment not on payroll – about 270 billion euros at today’s prices”. “The amount for Greece is dizzy. Is larger than the country’s GDP. If this money had been properly made available, we would be exported today, ”he added.

“At the moment, we are trying to regenerate, not to say, a defensive ecosystem in Greece. I have submitted clear transparency suggestions for this. With the involvement of the Hellenic Parliament to an increased degree, involving control mechanisms for which there have already been program contracts, with the placement of prosecutors at critical points, ”the minister concluded.