Greek main opposition party slams arms program for excluding local industry

By Ahmet Gencturk

ANKARA (AA)- Greece’s main opposition party slammed the country’s ambitious armament program for excluding the local industry.

Of the €14 billion ($13.9) spent in the last two years for the big-ticket arms purchases by the conservative Nea Dimokratia (ND) government, not one euro went to the Greek industry, Alexis Tsipras, leader of the SYRIZA-PS, said Monday during a visit to the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) in the central town of Tanagra, according to the Avgi newspaper.

He argued that Greece needs to maintain deterrent armed forces and a capable local defense industry and said the current negative state of the Greek defense industry is a natural result of the government’s deliberate political choice.

“Should SYRIZA-PS take over the government, we will re-negotiate the arms deals in a way to include the local industry,” said Tsipras. “We will create a new institutional framework and boost incomes of the defense industry workers.”

Greece recently signed multiple big-ticket arms agreements, including a deal for drones from Israel, Rafale jets from France and upgrades to its F-16 fleet from the US.

Athens also approached Washington for the potential purchase of at least 20 F-35 stealth aircraft.

Türkiye has repeatedly warned Greece against indulging in an arms race, offering instead to resolve outstanding issues, including in the Aegean, Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus, through dialogue amid heightened tensions between the two countries.​​​​​​​