N. Panagiotopoulos: ‘What is threatened, is not demilitarized’

“Everything that is threatened is not demilitarized,” said National Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos, closing the marathon debate on the bill to strengthen the country’s defense shield.

“The Rafale will cover the whole Aegean with their weapons and wings. And those islands on which Turkey, with its provocative and revising stance, raises issues of demilitarization. Let me say this, once and for all. “I have said it: What is threatened is not demilitarized. It is four words, with a very clear meaning”, said the Minister of National Defense and added that “even above the islands, what is threatened – and therefore Greece has a legal right, defined by the Charter of the United Nations, to take any appropriate measures for their defense, – an element of their defense is the umbrella that the state-of-the-art Rafale will develop, with their weapons, wings and Greeks pilots in the cockpit, with Greek insignia on these wings “.

We are following the provisions in the structure of the forces, said the Minister of National Defense about the contracts that were ratified today by the Parliament and commented on the attitude of SYRIZA. “Should we discuss today whether and to what extent the acquisition of six extra Rafale shocks the country’s defense planning? And that it was wrongly announced by the prime minister? “Do you think that GEA is upset because we are getting six extra Rafale? Why such a reaction to the acquisition of 6 Rafale?”, said the Minister of National Defense.

“The Armed Forces are capable, they are also combat-ready at the moment. Now their reinforcement is being intensified, with new means and the upgrading of their existing systems,” said the Minister of National Defense, adding: “The strengthening of the Armed Forces is necessary. The axis is twofold. The intensification of the diplomatic effort. The reinforcement of the Armed Forces is not over. The effort is continuous. We continue our course. We record small and big victories. We cover the needs of decades. The second axis is the strengthening of our alliances, which are upgraded because they have a defensive imprint “.

“I do not know what you are saying. For two years now, for me, defense has been an end in itself. It is the mandate given to me by the prime minister, it is the mandate that I carry out,” said Nikos Panagiotopoulos, referring to the preparatory, intensive work of the staffs. and GDAE, to finally emphasize: “the strengthening and increase of the total capability of the Armed Forces of the country, certainly has a very large, unbearable, in difficult times, financial costs. But it has incalculable national benefit.”

Source: AMPE

Source: Capital

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