Government presents new defense plan [InTime News] | Constantine CapsaskisNewsletter Editor |
Welcome to the weekly round-up of news by Kathimerini English Edition. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Defense Minister Nikos Dendias unveiled a 12-year plan to strengthen the country’s deterrence capabilities. One of the main pillars of the new 25-billion-euro plan is the inclusion of the domestic defense industry (particularly the Hellenic Aerospace Industry, Greek shipyards, and Hellenic Defense Systems) in all future defense programs. This echoes a directive by Dendias that called for a domestic defense industry participation of at least 25% in all future investments. “This will be a non-negotiable condition for any major defense investment”, emphasized the prime minister in his speech to parliament, further underlining a wider shift towards self-reliance. Greek firms are expected to contribute to naval vessels, submarines, armored vehicles, and munitions. The other significant pillar of the 12-year plan is a focus on advanced technologies, and their full integration by the Hellenic Armed Forces. This includes artificial intelligence, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), electronic warfare systems, and a focus on cyberwarfare, both offensive and defensive. “These technologies must be integrated into the long-term planning of our armed forces,” noted Mitsotakis, pointing to the changing nature of operational warfare on the battlefields of Ukraine and the Middle East. The Hellenic Defense Innovation Center (ELKAK) is expected to play a leading role in the development of these cutting-edge technologies. “What we are proposing is an existential issue for the country – a complete shift in our defense approach, a total change in doctrine”, said Dendias, adding that “we’re moving away from the traditional thinking that the Aegean is defended solely by the fleet”. To this end, the defense minister presented the planned air defense system, dubbed “Achilles Shield”. The government is looking to acquire Israel’s BARAK air defense system as a key component of this new deterrence system, to replace the aging S-300 missile defense system. During his presentation, the prime minister also announced the creation of the National Security Secretariat, a new body headed by national security advisor Thanos Dokos, to counter emerging hybrid threats, including cyberattacks, disinformation campaigns, and destabilizing migration flows. Spotlight - Greece’s main political parties are trying to navigate through the continued volatility recorded by opinion polls, with ruling New Democracy, PASOK, and SYRIZA attempting to contain the movement of voters to anti-establishment parties. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis addressed a meeting of his party’s parliamentary group, in an attempt to right the ship following a difficult week that once again exposed internal divisions. Following the announcement of wage increases for the Hellenic Armed Forces, leading ministers and other MPs called on the government to extend these increases to other uniformed services which was met by a swift rebuke from the Prime Minister’s office. At the same time, 11 of the party’s MPs have continued to submit questions to the government challenging its policies. Meanwhile, within main opposition party PASOK, the failure to resonate with voters continues to create challenges for leader Nikos Androulakis. Just six months after his re-election as party leader, the voices calling for a change continue to multiply, a situation which was exacerbated by the decision to refer a former party minister to the party’s ethics committee for criticizing the party’s official stance on co-operation with other center-left parties. And things are not much better in SYRIZA, where the party seems to once again be on the verge of splitting into two factions, one around party leader Sokratis Famellos and one around controversial MP Pavlos Polakis.
- The Education Ministry announced the 13 foreign academic institutions that applied to establish campuses in Greece, following the introduction of the law regulating non-state higher education institutions by the government. Minister Sofia Zacharaki said that “Greece is enacting a historic reform that offers new options for our students, attracts international scholars, and transforms our nation into a knowledge hub for Southeastern Europe”. However, it is worth pointing out that 12 of the institutions applying already operate in Greece in co-operation with local colleges, with the University of Nicosia being the only new entrant. Additionally, while the government’s law states that the evaluation will consider the applicant’s positions in globally recognized rankings, including the QS World University Rankins and Times Higher Education World University Rankings, only four of the 13 applicants rank at the same level or higher than Greece’s major state universities, with most being found below the 800th
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OPINION | Tom EllisEditor-in-Chief, Kathimerini English Edition |
The power cable, Erdogan’s opportunity [ADMIE]Athens is moving ahead with resuming the exploration process for laying the power cable that will link Greece with Cyprus and Israel. Research ships will restart their work with the prospect of deploying the cables in the Aegean around the Greek island of Kasos. There is some concern that Turkey might try to obstruct the operations, invoking the null memorandum it signed a few years ago with the Tripoli government in Libya delimiting the two countries’ zones; the agreement’s legality had been challenged by the US, the EU, the Arab League and Tripoli’s rival Libyan government of Benghazi. Ankara claims the project is an intrusion into its maritime zone. In the same spirit, it not only disputes Greek sovereignty over some of Greece’s smaller islets in the Aegean, but has gone so far as to claim that even some of its internationally known large, inhabited islands like Crete, Kasos and others, do not have their own continental shelf or maritime zone. Some point to the previous phase of explorations near Kasos, in July 2024, when Turkish ships were deployed in the area and interfered with the research ship’s radio frequencies. In the present environment it will be a rather extreme act for Turkey to once again interfere with the project. First, although the arrest of opposition leader and Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu has not met with the fierce reaction one might have thought, it has still put the Turkish president on the defensive. Second, Israel is part of the project at a time when Ankara’s relations with Jerusalem keep deteriorating and might be at their lowest level after Erdogan’s recent wish that “may Allah destroy Zionist Israel”. And third, a potential further delay means additional cost for the French company involved, Nexans, a development that would most likely create friction with Paris. Given all that, one wonders if this would be the right time for Turkey to act in a way that would upset the relative calm with Greece that has proved useful to both countries. In any case, the issue offers Erdogan an opportunity to show restraint and a positive attitude, a behavior that in today’s environment can only benefit him on many levels. |
| CHART OF THE WEEK | |  Only 36% of Greek commercial enterprises sold goods of Greek origin in 2024, the lowest level of the metric since the Institute of Commerce and Services of the Hellenic Confederation of Commerce and Entrepreneurship began analysing the available data in 2016. While it is obviously much lower than the 71.6% recorded in 2021, which was a result of the disruption to global supply links caused by the pandemic, it is also much lower than in the pre-Covid years where the metric was almost always above 60%. While many businesses continue to source their goods from China and the Asian markets, it is worth noting that the share of other European states also rose significantly. According to the head of the Institute of Commerce and Services, the data points to the very weak state of Greece’s production base. |
| | |  | ESCAPADE | | Agrinio: Trapped between past and future The sudden collapse of tobacco threw this western town into a tailspin of economic despondency; now some residents are fighting back Go to article > |
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| ECONOMY IN A NUTSHELL | | | “The Athens Exchange (ATHEX) general index closed at 1,597.55 points, with the benchmark losing almost 5% in one day as a result of the turmoil in international markets. On a weekly basis, it was down 7.96%.” | | | “Bank of Greece Governor Yannis Stournaras noted that Greece faces limited direct impact from the imposition of US tariffs on European goods (with less than 5% of Greek exports being US-bound) but is likely to be affected indirectly from the overall negative impact on the euro-area’s growth. However, producers of certain goods, including cement, aluminium, feta cheese, and wine, are likely to be affected more.” | | | “The Public Power Corporation has announced its intention to invest 6.4 billion euros to create a green energy and technology hub in the region of Western Macedonia, which when complete will be among the largest on the continent. The investment, which could even reach 12 billion euros, will finance the development of data centers, energy production units (including solar parks), and energy storage units.” |
| WHAT'S ON THE AGENDA | | - 07/04/2025Tempe inquiry: The Parliamentary investigative committee looking into the conduct of former minister Christos Triantopoulos and the handling of the Tempe disaster site will conclude on Monday. The committee, controversially set to be the shortest parliamentary committee ever, ever will refer the former minister directly to the judiciary, as he requested.
- 07/04/2025Easter Basket: The “Easter Basket” measure, which aims to keep prices lower for certain foodstuff traditionally consumed during the period of Greek Orthodox Easter, will begin again on Monday.
- 09/04/2025Nationwide strike: Unions representing both private and public sector workers have announced a 24-hour strike on Wednesday, which will be accompanied by significant travel disruption as both air-traffic controllers and ferry workers are set to participate.
- 09/04/2025Delphi Economic Forum: The tenth iteration of the Delphi Economic Forum will be held from Wednesday to Saturday and will bring together leading business and political personalities.
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Editor's Pick The production of food on a broad scale is possible even in a metropolis of millionsYiouli EptakiliRead the article |
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