PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: I would like to welcome and thank the Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikos Panagiotopoulos, who is on the phone. Minister, good morning and many happy returns of the Holy Week.
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: Good morning, many happy returns to everyone!
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: May the Resurrection light upon us, literally and figuratively, because these days are really hard.
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: The Resurrection always takes place Mr. Tzenos. The Crucifixion needs to precede, yet the Resurrection always takes place.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: Let us start with a key issue which, I believe, is the issue concerning you day in – day out. I refer to the current situation in the Army, since the women and men in the Armed Forces do not have the luxury of staying at home. Minister, what is the present picture and what measures have been taken?
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: Since 11 March, when the first protective measures against the coronavirus were announced in the Armed Forces, in cooperation with the Chief/HNDGS, the Chiefs of the General Staffs, the Directors of the Armed Forces’ Healthcare Services, and of course the Deputy Minister and the General Secretary, we have met several times, so as to determine the best that could be done.
We had announced the confinement of the cadets in Military Schools, so that they would not be exposed to the virus. Lessons via teleconference, their living within the Schools and, naturally, exit prohibitions were organised, for as long as the general self-confinement measures exist. We recently decided to extend these measures until May 10th, when we shall see where we are and re-estimate the situation.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: Minister, so far it has been a successful measure, hasn’t it?
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: This is what I would like to point out, because I have the impression that it got past many people. All this time, we had zero cases in Military Schools, and this proves something.
The system fully performed, so now we reckon that we should not mess with a system that worked and protected the cadets. I can understand that it causes discontentment, or even distress, to the cadets and to their parents, yet as these measures still apply during the Holy Week – when it will show what is to be further done and if self-confinement will be respected – I believe that we can slowly start to see in the future, next month, some lifting or relaxation of the measures.
However, meanwhile, we need to persist and obey the rules. The effort being done is worth doing a little bit more. We have already announced that leave of absence will be granted after the relaxation of the measures, so that the cadets may leave the schools and probably go home to their families; that is, after this period will end. Now, they need to stay in, so that they can be protected; not because we wish to confine or punish them, only because we wish to care for them and keep them healthy, just like they currently are.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: Judging by the results, you were right about that…
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: Therefore, we should not mess with what is already working. In the Armed Forces as a whole –may I remind you that currently more than a hundred thousand personnel serve throughout Greece, along with the conscripts- the cases are relatively few, around thirty.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: In any case, they are orderly Services.
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: Nonetheless you can realise that, since various information, and even propaganda, have reached publicity, saying that “the situation is not looking good”, “the protective gear is defective”, “the supply of means, disinfectants, masks etc is miserable”, from people who want to display such an image of the Armed Forces -something that really is inconceivable for me- I need to say that all necessary measures have been taken and we carry on monitoring the situation on a daily basis.
An effort is also being made, so as to decongest the Units. During this period, we do not perform personnel transfers, so that conscripts shall not be travelling during the Holy Week, so as to staff some already congested Units. We are trying to do whatever needed at the Units, so as to have the least possible congestion and ensure some distance between the conscripts, wherever possible. We are trying to limit leaves and exit permits.
The personnel going in and out of military camps are Officers who, I believe, respectfully observe the directives they were given. Therefore, we are trying to minimise the risk of exposure to the virus, so that the Armed Forces will carry on operating, as there is no chance the Armed Forces will stop operating.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: Since you say that it is happening, and we see it happening, we need to say, before anything else, that the situation would have been very different if, before the pandemic, the Armed Forces hadn’t succeeded in holding the flow arriving, with a little help from our neighbours, to our borders, to Evros; we would talk on totally different grounds. However, Minister, I see that Turkey prepares a new dirty plan; information has it that there is a new attempt to bring immigrants here, some of whom may be infected by the coronavirus. I would like you to comment on that…
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: The scenario exists. We observe it and study ways to respond to it. I will claim that Turkey carries on with the same plan; it tries to push Greece and, eventually, the EU by using immigrants and refugees, so that they can flow into Greek territory, with Turkey’s help – we now have proof of that.
The surprise which took place at the celebration of Clean Monday failed, as we were prepared to face it, by reinforcing the Forces at Evros with personnel and means, by giving clear instructions, after a decision taken at PM level. We made our propositions, a decision was taken, we were called to implement it and, in collaboration with the Hellenic Police, the Ministry of Citizens Protection, the Hellenic Coast Guard, the Ministry of Shipping, to the entire extent of our borders, from the land borders and the surprise attempted at Evros, to the sea borders, we managed to deter this attempt of organised invasion.
Maybe I don’t need to hum and haw any more; the result over there was good thanks to our preparation. We never said that the alarm is over. The alarm is not over. The Armed Forces remain alert and they are reinforced with means and personnel wherever needed. I remind you that the fence at Evros is still being reconstructed, enhanced and extended where needed. The floating means keep reinforcing and assisting the Coast Guard.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: Has Evros been sealed, if that term is acceptable?
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: I had used it as well since September, Mr. Tzenos. I would say that I had received some very ironic and derisive reactions… It is not something that would happen overnight, it is an organized effort. It is something that was done and, in any case, there are some few attempts of “influx”; however, they get promptly controlled, arrested etc.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: So, there is information on what may happen when the weather gets better, you are expecting it and you have been prepared. Is there information on coronavirus-infected immigrants planning to get – or, rather, to be sent – to Greece?
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: Look, given that Turkey currently has a coronavirus issue, as it is uncontrollably spreading in its interior (which comes to light with the emergency, and more, measures taken), it is logical that the immigrants over there will move towards our borders; something that was their initial intention anyway. It is possible that they may be infected and there may be no way for them to be tested.
In any case, we prepare for this scenario as well. Some information concerning people drawn from allover Turkey to the coasts of Asia Minor has come to light. We collect such information, we interpret them and we get ready to do what we already did before them! To put into action deterrence for those who try to illegally reach our territory, from land or sea. It is harder…
As we have said before, and you know what applies, as far as the sea is concerned, we have deployed floating means, while the Hellenic Navy reinforces to full extent, so as to reach the best deterrence possible.
We consider this parameter as well, since it adds new value to the issue: the attempt of illegal immigrant influx to our territory, when there are solid grounds that some may be infected by the coronavirus. There is a health risk now as well; a risk to domestic public health. Therefore, we take measures accordingly.
PANAGIOTIS TZENOS: Minister, one last question: A few days ago, when there was the planning, and some concern, by the Government, some articles wondered if the self-confinement measures would work and if there was any chance the Army would be involved to movement restriction. It is true – and you stress it very often – that the Army’s mission is to safeguard the borders, and we currently experience this necessity. Are there any plans for Army involvement, in case more measures will need to be imposed, which the Police will not be able to impose?
NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: It is not simple to talk about Army involvement to measures such as restriction of movement and travel, or to the control of travel and movement inside the country.
It is not simple, and it is not a decision to make lightly. In any case, there are procedures ensuing from the constitution that need to be kept. Everything needs to be taken into consideration when at planning phase. At this time, there is no issue of Army involvement.
We hope that the people can realise that they need to obey the rules, self-confine and show the necessary discipline, even though we are now entering the Holy Week and the weather keeps getting better. This is the only way to protect public health and safeguard human life; and this is our Government’s priority.
As it took all those measures early, it showed that it had a plan, and that this plan works so far, given that Greece remains low in numbers of coronavirus cases, compared to other countries that are more organised.
Therefore, taking such decisions was the right thing to do, and now we need to abide by them. We are at a turning point. If the current situation is respected throughout April and all these measures and self-confinement have results, then we will not have to go to scenarios of stricter measures and, of course, the prospect of having the Army involved, which is something I wish not, will fade.
As I already said, it is not a simple procedure at all. However, all that it takes is for the measures to be successful. I think that the rules are very clear here and they need to be respected by everybody, for our own good and for the good of our fellow citizens. As simple as that!
Let’s all discipline a little bit more, let’s be a little more patient. I can understand that it is not very easy… There is a taste of compulsion and limitation of our freedom of movement, yet it is to a good end, a higher goal, which will eventually benefit us all individually.
We should not risk being exposed to the virus and, most importantly, we should not put the more vulnerable groups at risk. This was the objective of all these confinement measures and this is the line, our objective, the government’s line that we are trying to keep.
For example, when we decide to minimise the transfers of conscripts, we are not doing it because we want to punish certain people, but because we believe that the movement of career personnel in the Armed Forces and conscripts should be in line with the general limitation of movement during the Holy Week. Later, when we will start seeing the measures relaxing, all movements – subsequently, the transfers as well – will be allowed.
But, for the time being, we all need to comply with the measures decided by the Prime Minister and the Government which, as we can see, are the ones that move towards the right direction, with positive results for our country.
