The Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas in an interview he gave for newspaper “EIDISEIS” to journalist Vasilis Skouris published on 09/09/2017 stated the following:

QUESTION: Are you worried about the crisis of Ankara-Berlin relations? Could there be any impact on the relations between Turkey and Athens?

ANSWER: I do not believe that the fluctuations of the relations between Berlin and Ankara will have direct impact on Greek-Turkish relations. However, since international relations are a system with clear and broad interaction the issues which arise should not be neglected. EU-Turkey relations are not at their best point. Fortunately, EU-Turkey agreement about refugee and migrants flows remains stable and we should work for it to remain like this. On the other hand, the EU cannot and should not retire from a system of values which forms the base of its civilization to the benefit of occasional interests of any other country. And these interests regard its domestic situation or its intention to promote its geostrategic choice on the wider area or its problems on its south-eastern frontier. It is also worth observing the fact that in every European country where election is held and there is a significant Turkish population, on this same period there is tense in the relations with Turkey. In any case, Greece can offer its services for an approach between Turkey and Europe and its European course under one condition: respect of the International Law and international treaties and abstention from any kind of “threats”.

QUESTION: Many people estimate that the Armed Forces need more armament to face Turkey’s provocativeness. Do you agree with that?

ANSWER: We should not involve in a race about armaments. The Armed Forces should be absolutely ready to perform their national and constitutional duty against any threat. From there on, we are always alert. We watch the developments; we make our plans according to our actual needs. Our plan includes the employment of the manpower through training so that they will be in full operational readiness, the maintenance and upgrade of our weapon systems and targeted armament investment which adds power. We watch and utilize every occasion without becoming obsequious to them or to any political or financial interests.    

QUESTION: I know that you are considering a reorganization of the Armed Forces. What will this include?

ANSWER: The reorganization of the Armed Forces is a situation on which their extent of adaptation to modern conditions, new geostrategic challenges, developments in technology is reflected, and it is definitely related to the available means and resources. It is required by the need to reinforce the effectiveness and flexibility and to maximize the utilization of the available assets. So, the reorganization includes elements of rearrangement, training, rational employment of assets, new supply concept, logistics support etc.

QUESTION: Is there a rearrangement of the Armed Forces required? More forces in the Aegean Sea etc.?

ANSWER: The Armed Forces’ duty is to guard the borders and the points of strategic importance for our country. So, the new plans are on a living organism, for it to be effective in its duty. And this is related to all the three branches based on their particularities and the joint operational capabilities.

QUESTION: Have you suddenly fallen in love with Andreas Papandreou Mr. Minister? What is your opinion on his work?

ANSWER: Let’s put aside these communicational “stupidities”. Some things are self-proven. There are historical moments, in which social needs increase and justify the requirement for deep, radical changes. This need of changes at a political level is expressed by leaders and political forces. This happened over the second half of the 70s and in early 80s. Practically, it was expressed by Andreas Papandreou and PASOK back then. This is how post-civil war Greece ended. A similar thing happened in 2015 with SYRIZA, which ends a period of changes – integration of post-dictatorship period in Greece. This will not negate nor underestimate the action of social forces or of other political forces, such as KKE (Communist Party of Greece), KKEes party, SYN party and other progressive forces. In these historical periods the existent political and financial system tries to reverse this change in the strongest possible manner. It is a coincidence that in both cases, the old political system is expressed by the the same political party, New Democracy. What also happened with this party is that in both cases its most conservative members were at the head of the communication. This comparison does not create any similarities regarding persons or parties because the conditions are different. They create a clearer image of what happens today.    

QUESTION: Do you think that PASOK party is still following Andreas Papandreou’s policy?

ANSWER: Since PASOK adopted neo-liberalism and abandoned leftist socialdemocracy claiming its share of power ended up being the tail of New Democracy, a genuine neo-liberalist party. In this sense, it is up to them whether they want and can come back to the historical sources of PASOK in 1970s-1980s. I don’t see this happening now however.  

QUESTION: Apart from Andreas, however, it seems that you “fell in love” with Prime Minister’s visits and with the “good industrialists”…

ANSWER: The opposite political system makes a caricature of what it is and what SYRIZA wants. It tries to spread it to society’s conscience and oppose to it. I am talking about things clearly. We want to express the interests of workers and culture. First of all, we serve the interests and demands of these social classes. The notion of entrepreneurship is not unknown to us, nor is it hostile. We also fully understand why someone would seek for profit. We include all this in the service of social benefit, recovery and financial growth. In this sense, we also create investment friendly conditions. At the same time, we are clearly against the deprivation of rights, the robbery of resources and public funds to one’s own benefit. We are clearly against the opinion “as long as I have profit, let the world be destroyed”. So, the answer to your question cannot come from feelings or love, or from a distinction between “good and bad”, “our supporter or not”, but it will express a reasonable and social need.

QUESTION: Kyriakos Mitsotakis blames you that out of prejudice you cannot attract investments to Greece…

ANSWER: Mr. Mitsotakis is an embodiment of neoliberalist prejudice with extreme conservative tendencies. I can mention a lot of examples: the social disorder, the commercialization of the reproduction procedures of society, the procedures that are favourable to big non productive interests, their full incapacity to attract investors or to create investment friendly conditions. His prejudice cannot help him realize that what he says is exactly what created the crisis when it was implemented.

QUESTION: Do you want IMF to participate in the programme?

ANSWER 9: The question is not whether we want IMF, but whether the IMF may choose to remain in the Greek programme which will be completed anyway within 2018.