The Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas gave an interview to the monthly Italian magazine Espansione to journalist Costantino Moretti. The interview is published under the heading “Common Defence for whole Europe” and subheading “According to Greece’s Alternate Defence Minister D. Vitsas a common armaments policy could have significant benefits for the whole industrial sector”. The interview is published also on the cover of the magazine under the heading “An opening to common policies coming from Greece”.
This is the text of the article translated into English:
Introduction: “Greece and Italy are two states with many common characteristics: in history, they have both been the cradle of civilizations on which the modern western civilization has been based; geographically, they are both washed on three sides by the Mediterranean and, moreover, they are members of the same international organizations, such as the EU and NATO. Under the current international circumstances the two countries must face challenges, either humanitarian challenges or internal security challenges, which emanate from the instability that torments the countries on the other side of the Mediterranean which, potentially, might have impacts also on future geopolitical elements. These issues, among other things, the Espansione magazine discussed with the Greek Alternate Minister of National Defence D. Vitsas”.
Q.: Regarding the issue of the common European defence, a debate is conducted all the more often regarding the purpose of creating major synergies among countries for the establishment of a single general EU level headquarters which will programme military and civilian missions abroad, as well as for the need of steps to be taken towards a common armaments policy. What is Greece’s view on this matter?
A.: Common European defence is included, indeed, in the procedures of the European integration and, consequently, it follows the course of development of the whole edifice. In parallel, in the context of a European defence mechanism, it is imperative to take into consideration the existent structures of defence and security which operate within the Euro-Atlantic security and defence system. Moreover, to the extent that military assets and military power is the continuation of diplomatic means and diplomatic power, any planning of cooperation that will lead to a reinforcement of the European defence must be done in this context. I would not be able to imagine a single general EU level headquarters with a respective staff for military and civilian missions abroad, which would not be based on a common concept and a common policy on the matters which, potentially, this common headquarters will have to manage. At this point, we should stress that the Military Committee of the European Union which is the place within which we can activate cooperations that will lead us a step forward, is already operative. A very important sector which can contribute to the development and expansion of common European Security and Defence Policy (CESDP) are cooperations in the field of defence industry. A common armament policy will reinforce European defence industry which, based on a sharing among EU countries, will contribute to the expansion of a mutually beneficial development.
Q.: In your opinion, what are the funding and operational consequences of United Kingdom quitting the European Union, as far as CESDP is concerned?
A.: United Kingdom leaving the EU is a huge chapter which will concern the European Union and its institutions for long. In any case, any potential consequences will not regard mostly the CESDP as it is still in a process of development and is more flexible to adaptations. I think that it is the indirect consequences on CESDP, the ones that emanate from the shift of the balance of power and of the gravity centre of the European edifice and not the direct funding and operational consequences. The danger of the decomposition of the EU comes from people’s dissatisfaction which expands among the peoples of the EU and which emanates from policies of austerity and expansion of inequalities, which have been identified with the EU itself in peoples’ eyes and have displaced the common European vision. These policies have paved the way for extreme right views and every sort of racism which drive the whole Europe to regression. This is what scares me more than any consequences of the withdrawal of the United Kingdom.
Q.: EU member-states, in particular those of its southern part, are facing the refugee crisis. Many analysts claim that if migration cannot be managed successfully, apart from consequences on human, it can also be a serious threat for people’s security. How does Greece deal with the migration waves? Do you believe that it can be a threat for the security of our country and of EU in general? What is the participation of the Armed Forces in this issue?
Α.: Greece and Italy, because of their geographical position, are on the first line of the refugee-migrant crisis. It is a European and global matter. Unfortunately, some of our European partners pretend that they do not see it and they consider it as either an Italian or a Greek problem. It is not Greece and Italy that are the main destinations of refugees and migrants, but Europe in total. Some of our European neighbours who do not know about maritime issues criticize us about allegedly insufficient controls. They would like us to “build walls” along our maritime borders, as they do on their land borders and put fences. What they actually accuse us of is why we do not let desperate and helpless people drown in the sea. We are clear: the refugee and migrant waves are a European issue and their management is an issue of the European Union. We take action according to the principles of humanitarianism and of International Law that provides for specific things for the protection of refugees and migrants. We do not consider that migrants and refugees are a threat for the security of Europe. The real threat comes from the destabilization in our neighbourhood from which refugees try to escape, and from the poverty in areas of Africa which creates migration. Also, the threat of using refugee and migrant waves as a weapon against Europe by neighbouring countries has risks. Such a threat, if implemented, will be a hostile action for Europe. This exactly is the reason why Europe and EU Countries are required to respond to the obligations and commitments which they have undertaken in the context of the implementation of the EU-Turkey agreement. There are doubts regarding the extent to which these commitments have been observed; namely as to whether they have sent the personnel to examine the asylum requests, as well as the relocation of refugees who are entitled to protection in EU countries. On both these issues, the response after an 8-month period during which the agreement is being implemented, is lower than 10%. Greece, as government, as state institutions and society, has been responding to the greatest possible extent. We managed situations to which other greater and financially stronger countries have not managed to respond. One million people passed by Greek islands and then across the Greek mainland until March 2016 when the EU-Turkey agreement entered into force. A great number of them were rescued at sea by the Greek forces. All these people, despite the financial crisis and the problems of the Greek people, were treated decently while they crossed our country. After the “way through the Balkans” was closed and EU-Turkey agreement started to be implemented, approximately 62,000 people were trapped in our country for whom we have ensured accommodation, meals, medical care, as well as education for refugee children. Of them, about 11,000 have been trapped on Eastern Aegean islands because of the delay of the application of EU-Turkey agreement by our European partners. In all this effort, the Hellenic Armed Forces undertook the biggest effort of ensuring the places of accommodation for refugees; the role of the Hellenic Police and Coast guard was also very important.
Q.: What is your opinion on the situation of the relations between our countries in the field of defence and security and what are the future developments that you consider more probable?
A.: Relations between our countries are particular. They are based on the common civilization which was developed in our lands and constitutes the cornerstone of modern western civilization. Greece and Italy are constant partners and allies with close financial, as well as political ties which are reinforced under the current circumstances and the mutual cooperation of our countries in the common effort of Eurozone to overcome the crisis maintaining a good social cohesion. We face common challenges: the management of refugee-migration issue as our two countries are on the front line of the crisis; the effort taken that Europe takes to deepen the common European policy and the common action for a more effective response to the destabilization in the wider area that surrounds us. And this is the main reason that creates the refugee waves and terrorism incidents.
