Greece in 2021 will increase defense spending by 5 times
The Greek parliament expects to allocate 2.5 billion euros for the purchase of weapons.
Greece, against the background of a sharp aggravation of relations with Turkey, intends to sharply increase defense spending. The CP, which recently entered the Greek Parliament, the draft budget for 2021 envisages the allocation of 2.5 billion euros for the purchase of weapons. This amount is five times more than this year, the newspaper notes.
Earlier it became known that Athens, despite serious economic difficulties, decided to massively invest in the renewal of the army, navy and air force.
So, speaking on September 12 in Thessaloniki, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greece will acquire almost two dozen new fighters, four new frigates, four anti-submarine helicopters, and will also increase the number of armed forces personnel by 15 thousand people. In addition, the Greeks are modernizing four Hydra-class frigates in the navy, additionally purchasing anti-tank and anti-aircraft missiles, as well as torpedoes for the national navy.
It is curious that a fivefold increase in the amount allocated for arms purchases will occur with an overall reduction in the Greek budget of about 4.6 billion euros next year.
The main beneficiary of the upcoming massive purchase of weapons by the Greeks, apparently, will be France. Paris strongly supported Athens in the recent escalation of Greek-Turkish relations in the Eastern Mediterranean. In this context, it is not surprising that the French will supply the Greeks with 18 Rafale fighters, the latest frigates of the BELH @ RRA project and other weapons systems. The purchase of mainly products of the European military-industrial complex should contain criticism in the EU regarding such significant budget spending by Greece against the background of weak economic growth in the country and in the context of continued support from international lenders.
Source: Rossiyskaya Gazeta
(Automatic translation)
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