Preparing for Regional Instability: Greece’s Defense Budget and Modernization Efforts

2024-01-14 17:29:00

“There is always instability during the succession of a powerful and long-serving leader… this means we must be prepared for any eventuality before 2030,” he said.

”Generally speaking, our region does not allow for complacency. We are surrounded by many sources of instability that require us to have modern armed forces,” Mr. Dendias said.

After years of tensions over immigration, energy rights and sovereignty over the Aegean Sea, Greece and Turkey resumed high-level talks last month during Mr. Erdogan’s visit to Athens, his first since 2017.

Greece has the highest defense budget as a share of GDP among NATO allies and has placed multibillion-euro orders for US-made F-35 fighter jets, Rafale jets French and Belharra frigates.

Mr. Dendias noted that there was a “dysfunction for decades” in the Greek aerospace industry, that the air force lacked transport planes and announced that Athens would now devote part of its defense budget “exclusively” for Greek-made weapons.

The minister also deplored that “units operating at 25 to 30% of their capacity are scattered throughout the country”.

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