By PTI
ATHENS: Greece’s government is seeking parliamentary approval on Tuesday for a 3 billion euro ($3.4 billion) agreement for three new French-made frigates that defense officials say are vital to address ongoing tension with neighbouring Turkey.
Lawmakers are also debating whether to add six new Rafale fighter jets to an existing order for 18 planes, six of them newly built and 12 that were previously in service in the French air force.
NATO members Greece and Turkey remain at odds over maritime boundaries and mineral exploitation rights in the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean.
A Turkish oil and gas survey in 2020 resulted in a tense naval standoff between the two countries.
Defense Minister Nikos Panagiotopoulos said the Greek military needs to modernize following repeated funding cuts during the country’s acute 2010-18 financial crisis.
“There is no armament program that is slightly necessary’ or somewhat necessary’,” Panagiotopoulos told lawmakers Monday during a committee-level debate in parliament.
“All of the armament programmes that we have submitted for approval, in one way or another, are absolutely necessary for the armed forces? extremely necessary, urgently necessary.”
Greece’s centre-right government has 157 lawmakers in the 300-seat parliament, and the proposed procurements are expected to be approved without dissent within the ruling party.
The left-wing main-opposition party opposes the additional purchase of French fighter jets.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and French President Emmanuel Macron finalised the frigate deal last year along with an enhanced defense cooperation agreement between their countries.
Made by France’s Naval Group, two warships are due to be delivered in 2025 and the third the following year, with an option to add a fourth frigate to be ready in 2027.
