France frigate deal under fire by Greek left-wing opposition

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA) - Left-wing opposition parties in Greece are harshly criticizing a recent strategic partnership pact and frigate sale deal with France.

Calling such armament programs excessive and endless, the Greek Communist Party (KKE) said in a statement on Tuesday that the public would have to make great sacrifices to pay for them and that they would not serve to protect country.

The party also accused Athens of being part of French-led belligerent and imperialist plans in the Middle East, North Africa, and the Sahel region.

Citing the deployment from Greece of long-range Patriot air defense systems in Saudi Arabia and the increasing US military presence in the country, the KKE said these dealings would only serve the ruling class.

SYRIZA, the main opposition party in Greece, also issued a statement harshly criticizing the frigate deal and other recent arms purchases, saying they costed too much.

Though conceding to the "need for strengthening the Greek armed forces," it accused the government of overlooking the priorities of the country's armament program and making miscalculated and expensive decisions.

SYRIZA also stressed that the government's arms deals did not generate any tangible diplomatic and military benefits, nor contribute to the goal of empowering the indigenous arms industry as the Rafale aircraft and FDI frigates would not be built in Greece.

Moreover, MeRA25 political party, led by former Finance Minister Yanis Varoufakis, accused the administration of sitting Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis of not learning from the past mistakes.

In a statement on Wednesday, the party alleged that Athens would be powerless to use the arms it was purchasing even it needed them, arguing that Greece was unable to act independently from "various economic and imperialist interests."

Citing France's military engagements in the Sahel and its growing military cooperation with Saudi Arabia, it said the government's policy choices would deepen Greece's debt and deprive its people of much needed resources.

Referring to the presidents of the US and France, Varoufakis said separately on Twitter: "At a time when the US & France are competing on which of the two will undermine Peace in the Pacific more effectively, the Greek PM is pushing Greece further into debt bondage by purchasing French frigates - with a nod from Biden so as to placate Macron. Greece deserves better!"