KATERINA PANAGOPOULOU: Many families are worried for soldiers currently doing their military service, and there is some overall concern for all the personnel. What are your protection measures against the coronavirus?

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: I can comprehend the concern, particularly the parents’ concern for the conscripts; nonetheless, given that measures have been taken and, mostly, good results have been achieved, I believe that the concern should not be excessive.

At the moment, the active coronavirus cases in the Armed Forces are twenty one, in a total of 110,000 personnel – both career and conscripts. Overall, about thirty have had the Covid-19 disease, so I believe that these numbers create a feeling that this is working, that the measures are successful.

Already since 11 March, following effectual preparatory work with the Military Leadership, the Chief/HNDGS, the Chiefs of the General Staffs, and of course the Deputy Minister and the General Secretary, a series of measures were taken, mostly concerning the suspension of public events, details, celebrations, as well as some early measures concerning the restriction of leaves of absence, the avoidance of overcrowding within the military camps, the decongestion of conscripts, as well as some allocations of Healthcare personnel to public hospitals.

Ever since, we meet again every three – four days to review and re-evaluate the measures, so as to assess where we have reached so far and what more needs to be done.

We took a decision on the confinement of the cadets in their Military Schools during this whole period – a decision which was hard, and I can understand the discontentment which may have been felt by some cadets, or even parents who wanted their families close during the holidays. However, given the fact that within the Schools we had zero cases – not even one – we have seen that this system works and the cadets are protected.

KATERINA PANAGOPOULOU: Minister, it is clear, also from the numbers you just shared with us, that the measures are working. We saw you visiting two days ago an Army Unit producing disinfectants, and I would like you to comment on the Army’s contribution amid the pandemic…

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: The Army always contributes to the society, in all adversities. In the context of the adversity currently experienced by Greece and the entire world, two production units of the Greek Army, the 700 Military Plant in Drapetsona which produces clothing and footwear, but now produces medical masks to cover the needs of the Armed Forces’ personnel and Healthcare personnel, as well as other needs that may arise, and also the 441 Medical Supplies Depot in Athens, which mostly produces disinfectants. They have entered in full phase of productive procedure for masks and disinfectants.

Of course, the prerequisite is to have the raw materials, the appropriate fabric for the masks and alcohol for the disinfectant. As far as we can obtain them, we shall accelerate production. Currently, our goal these days is to produce 50 thousand masks for our personnel, and a hundred thousand more later on; moreover, to produce tons of disinfectants which will be distributed in various packages (large, medium, small and pocket), to the entire personnel.

We have produced a personal coronavirus protection kit, which will be distributed to the conscripts enlisting in June and, if possible, to the personnel serving in various Units. We would like to begin from the personnel in the islands’ outposts.

These kits will include gloves, masks, disinfectant and a leaflet with guidance for coronavirus infection protection. I believe that all necessary measures are taken, even at alimentation level. The Units’ Commanders search for ways to improve the nutrition of the Units’ personnel.

Therefore, all measures are being taken and they have already produced. As I said before, these are not easy decisions. They are decisions for the personnel’s good. As far as the cadets in Military Schools are concerned, who will remain in confinement these days, I would like to say that our intention is to grant them some leaves of absence so that they can go visit their families after 27 April – Monday of Saint Thomas – when we will have determined and reassessed the confinement.

It would really be a pity, given the effort done so far, to let them exit the Schools now, to eventually have one of them returning as a virus carrier. In this scenario, we would be endangering the health of all the cadets, as well as the academic year.

KATERINA PANAGOPOULOU: Minister, is Erdogan trying again to create a setting similar to the one at Evros, with immigrants who are infected by the “Covid-19”?

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: The fact is that, according to our assessments, Turkey will do “business as usual”. Their attempt at Evros may have not been successful because we were ready to tackle it, yet we believe that the pressure will carry on; and it could shift to our sea borders, to our islands.

Some information has come to light, concerning immigrants drawn from allover Turkey to the coasts of Asia Minor, across our islands, and we are preparing accordingly.

KATERINA PANAGOPOULOU: Do we know if they were infected by the coronavirus?

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: We do not have such information, yet we speculate. Given that Turkey currently has a big coronavirus issue domestically, we contemplate that some of the immigrants over there, who would want to cross the borders anyway, may be infected or ill. Therefore, we are preparing for this eventuality as well.

It will not be so different than what we did recently, which is to reinforce deterrence.

KATERINA PANAGOPOULOU: Mr. Tsavousoglou today accused Greece of having created a “lobby” against Turkey, asking for a dialogue at the highest level possible. I would like a comment on that!

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: A Greek “lobby” against Turkey to do what? What we saw, what we lived in Evros is a fact. The organized and seconded by Turkey attempt by thousands of immigrants to violate our borders, thus wanting to transform to invaders by violating our dominant right as a country for the inviolability of our borders, was not theoretical; it has happened. There is no organized attempt to bring this issue forward.

This matter has risen to prominence by itself and it has bothered several European countries. Some of them decided to reinforce the forces guarding the borders at Evros, either the Armed Forces, or the Hellenic Police or the Coast Guard to our sea borders. Therefore, it has happened.

No matter what Mr. Tsavousoglou may say, the fact is that an attempt for violation of our borders – organized in the way I said – has actually happened. Mr. Tsavousoglou should not look for hangdogs or agitators elsewhere. He should rather mind the attitude of our neighbour.

KATERINA PANAGOPOULOU: How do you see the constant, everyday violations and overflights in the Aegean? Today we had 46 violations and four dogfights.

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: The violations and the dogfights keep happening and they will keep happening. It is something we always respond to in the way we should, with Hellenic Air Force aircraft.

I have said in the past that every violation is answered with an interception. Nevertheless, we never discuss the interceptions, we only refer to the violations. Therefore, whenever Turkish aircraft decide to enter our airspace, they are intercepted. Lately, overflights have become denser. May be this is one extra sign of our neighbours’ irritation, especially given that currently they are not in their best position, due to numerous issues.

Maybe they did not expect our decisive reaction at Evros, or they did not expect to see this reaction expand to our deterrence on the islands. They were not used to such reactions in the past, yet they should start getting used to them now.

Our deterrence capability is big and it is displayed every day, thanks to the effort made by the personnel in the Armed Forces, our Air Force, our Navy and, naturally, our Army at our land borders.