Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias referred to a “real threat” of conflict emanating from neighboring Turkey, speaking on Saturday in Parliament and during debate on the draft budget tabled for ratification.
Responding to opposition criticism over high defense spending, Dendias responded: “Is this expenditure high? Whoever takes a position on this should explain on the basis of what criteria they are calculating. Is the country under threat, yes or no? And from where is the main threat to the country coming from? Can we agree that a neighboring country has issued a cause for war against our country if we exercise our legal rights? Can we agree that it can impose, and by force, the illegal Turkish-Libyan memorandum? What is the amount that the neighboring country spends on defense? It is 26.8 billion euros, 14 times what Greece spends. Does such defense spending sound too excessive and out of proportion?”.
