ekathimerini.com -The Greek Letter - 28 April 2024 : Greece’s surface-to-air missile defence systems, the Olympic flame, Athens assessing Erdogan not going to Washington and more ...

 

FORWARD TO A FRIEND > Play it again, SAM[ΑΜΝΑ] Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Greece’s surface-to-air missile defence systems have been the center of several stories this week. On Friday, just before the Olympic flame handover ceremony in central Athens, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias signalled that Greece would consent to a loan of its Crotale short-range surface-to-air missile system to France. The French-built Crotale system, with a firing range of 11-20 kilometers and a maximum engagement altitude of 6 km, was requested by Paris for the duration the Olympic Games to ensure the security of critical infrastructure at this vital juncture. “Woe betide if we, the country that has signed a defense agreement with the French Republic, do not assist with the Olympic Games that represent everything Greek in this world,” said Dendias indicatively. However, Dendias also made it clear that Greece will not transfer any Patriot or S-300 missile defense systems to Ukraine. The statement followed an article in the Financial Times that outlined the significant pressure facing Greece and Spain to provide air defense systems to the embattled country. “Patriots will not be transferred. S-300s will not be transferred. The country is not going to be deprived of what is necessary for its defense and the protection of the core interests of our homeland,” stated Dendias unequivocally. This echoed earlier statements by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis to this effect, namely that Greece will not compromise on its own deterrence capabilities,  with government spokesperson Pavlos Marinakis saying that “we have consistently refuted such claims in the past, and I reiterate our stance emphatically today.” Finally, Dendias also announced that 2 billion euros have been earmarked for the establishment of Greece’s “Iron Dome” equivalent that he had announced earlier this month, and called it the “biggest reform that has ever taken place in the [Greek] Armed Forces”. Spotlight Staying on issues of defense, the Greek frigate “Hydra”, operating in the Red Sea as part of the European Union “Aspides” naval mission, saw its second engagement as it shot down an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) on Thursday morning using the ship’s 127mm (5-inch) gun. As pointed out by Vassilis Nedos, Kathimerini’s diplomatic and defense correspondent, this is the first combat experience for the Hellenic Armed Forces since 1974 (the armed forces have since been involved in several civilian evacuations without active combat). Several analysts have pointed out that this is “free training” for the Hellenic Navy in countering UAV threats, something that could be seen to be vitally important in the Aegean. Additionally, it is useful in gauging the operational capabilities of older vessels, like the “Hydra”, against these new weapon systems.   Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that his party’s result in the 2019 European elections is the “benchmark” in the June ballot, once again calling it a “national election” and effectively pointing to the ruling party’s 33% of the vote in 2019. Among the pillars of the ruling party’s campaign are the economy and political stability, with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis being a thorny issue for New Democracy. Main opposition party SYRIZA leader Stefanos Kasselakis expressed his belief that his party will secure the top spot in June, noting that “it is both feasible and probable for us to emerge as the winning party. This is not only our objective but also a crucial goal for society at large.” Kasselakis, following his expansive island tour of the Aegean, has focused on traditionally working-class neighborhoods of Athens in a likely attempt to reconnect the party to its perceived roots. Center-left party PASOK is also seeking to use the recent national elections, in which it increased its share of the vote by almost 50% from 8% to 12%, as a roadmap for further success but it seems unlikely that it will be able to overtake SYRIZA according to the latest polls. MUST READS Business and guaranteesGo to article > Strategic realities of maritime power and security at seaGo to article > A dangerous flirtationGo to article > OPINION Tom EllisEditor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition Athens assessing Erdogan not going to Washington[AP] The already difficult US – Turkey relationship has entered an even more delicate phase with the cancellation of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Washington. The underlying causes of bilateral tensions are many and well-known. Relations between the two NATO allies are increasingly characterised by mutual mistrust, if not disdain, the result of widely diverging views and policies on a range of issues from the Russian S-400 missile defense system to the Kurds in Syria, and above all, to Hamas and Israel’s war in Gaza. The Turkish President tries to establish himself as a leader of the Islamic world, and in so doing finds it useful, especially in the domestic political scene, to attack the West and even more so, Israel. The question in Athens is if the latest developments will have an impact on Greek-Turkish relations. Greece’s value as a reliable NATO ally and EU member in an unstable region might be increased, but the incremental detachment of Ankara from the West is viewed with some uneasiness. On the bilateral front it is difficult to see why Erdogan would opt for renewed tensions with Greece. Any move in that direction would do nothing to enhance his image in the Islamic world, while it will unnecessarily add another burden to its already strained relations with the US. Add to the mix the fact that Greece remains an integral part of the European Union – Turkey equation, at a time when the latter aims to extract numerous benefits from the EU, it is clear what direction should Erdogan follow. Still, having often been confronted with the unpredictability of the Turkish president, Athens will push forward with the positive agenda of the last few months, but will remain vigilant. In any case, as good neighbourly relations with Turkey and the stability of the region remain its pronounced strategic goals, Athens will continue investing in its rapprochement with Ankara, and it is in that spirit that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit Turkey on May 13th. CHART OF THE WEEK Photos of the orange dust haze that hung over Athens in the early part of the week, dubbed the Minerva Red Incident, were shared across the world. According to the experts, a significant incident has taken place every three to five years based on the data available from the last two decades. However, there is no evidence that their frequency has increased. In fact, since 2018 when there was a spike, there has been a general decrease in its recurrence. The main period in which Saharan dust can be expected to reach Greece is during spring, particularly when southerly winds are blowing.   ESCAPADE Myth, Religion, and Athletics: What Happened at the First Olympic Games? Unlike the grand spectacles of later Olympiads, the inaugural Games in 776 BC were humble in their simplicity. Here we explore what happened. Go to article > ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL “The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,454.98 points, up 4.48% from last week. This marks a new 13-year high after a week of significant growth.” “Greece issued a new 30-year bond on Wednesday that raised a total of 3 billion euros. Following the considerable demand secured for the issue, the interest rate offered was reduced to 4.15% from 4.30%. Finance Minister Kostis Hatzidakis noted that ‘In a period of international geopolitical uncertainty, the Greek edition was 11 times oversubscribed’.” “A total of 63,689 new jobs were created in Greece’s private sector in March, the best performance for the specific month in 23 years (which marks the beginning of seasonal employment). However, Greece is still second to last in terms of employment for people aged 20-75 in the European Union with 67% compared to an average of 75%.” WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA 30/04/2024Treasury Bill Auction: The Greek state will auction off 13-week treasury bills (expiring on August 2) worth an estimated 625 million euros. 01/05/2024May Day: Greece’s leading unions, from both the public and private sectors, have called for strikes on Wednesday to mark May Day. Public transport and maritime routes will not be in operation on the day. 05/05/2024Greek Orthodox Easter: Greek Orthodox faithful will celebrate the religious holiday of Easter on Sunday. Editor's PickWhile the demands for services and infrastructure in Athens are increasing at a leaping rate, the means we have to respond are also decreasing at a leaping rateHaris DoukasRead the article PODCAST 24/04/2024 • 10:15Changes to Greece’s Golden Visa schemeChanges to Greece’s Golden Visa scheme are set to kick in at the end of the summer. This will see increases in the minimum investment amount needed to secure a residence permit, in an effort to tackle the country’s housing crisis. This move comes as golden visa programs are being phased out or shut down around Europe, and as housing has become a hot political issue. Nikos Roussanoglou, a journalist with 23 years of experience at Kathimerini covering the economy, joins Thanos Davelis to look at what these new changes will mean, and whether we are seeing the beginning of the end of the golden visa scheme. 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