By Gifts Antoniou

The plethora of speculations, interpretations, affairs, opinions developed in relation to the SAFE Regulation, approved yesterday by the EU General Affairs Council, shows that often formulations in similar agreements leave room for more than one interpretations and, ultimately, when it is true,

At the heart of the debate that has been taking place in recent days in our country is the ability or not of Turkey to enter Europe’s equipment programs and Athens’ weapons to deal with such a possibility.

It is no coincidence that diplomatic sources rushed yesterday to respond to key objections and criticisms made in relation to the negotiating strategy that our country followed during the debate on the formulation of the Safe Regulation.

But what is the Safe Regulation? This is the acronyk of Security Action for Europe – Security action in Europe. It is one of the stages of Europe’s re -equipment program and essentially concerns a € 150 billion financial tool, which will be allocated in the form of long -term loans in Member States who want to invest in defense industrial production.

For a number of reasons, geopolitical and objective in relation to the capabilities of the EU’s defense industry, this regulation enables the opportunity to be given the opportunity to third countries to participate in the program.

Turkey’s prospect of participating in the “pie” of EU equipment It was the one that caused the mobilization of Athens, but also an intense debate as to whether this mobilization was sufficient. In short, the question that arises is whether our country can accept and allow Turkey’s defense industry, a country that threatens Greece to be funded with European funds. In addition to funding, the question of reinforcing, upgrading and developing the potential of the production of neighboring in the sensitive area of ​​equipment is also raised.

In the echo of those who were heard in the previous days Diplomatic sources codified yesterday in a series of answers to Athens’ attitude. In summary, what they say is that:

  • The road to permanent participation of third countries in EU equipment programs does not open, as the SAFE regulation has a specific four -year duration.
  • Greece could not block the adoption of the regulation because it was adopted by a special majority, without the need for unanimity.
  • Our country has managed to achieve improvements in order to secure strong legal bases for the conditions for third -country parties (such as Turkey).
  • Greece has succeeded in including a reference to Article 212 of the EU Treaty, which requires unanimity for any EU bilateral agreement. with a third country wishing to participate in Safe.

The prime minister also referred to the condition of unanimity for a third -country country in his recent interview with SKAI, where He talked about the removal of Casus Belli on the part of Turkey.

A question that arises, however, and will be a test in the field of implementing Turkey’s regulation and pursuit of participation in the European Equipment Program, is whether the neighbor is actually in the process of pursuing a bilateral agreement with the EU.

It is expressed by diplomatic and military sources of reflection on the possibility of an attempt to bypass any restrictions with Turkish companies, which will claim participation in equipment programs through consortiums with companies from other European countries, which could be the shapes that could be the shapes. ‘Trojan horse’ to overcome obstacles. There are already some agreements with Italy and Spain, where new corporate schemes are being created, which doubts that they can be excluded, based on the framework adopted.