Today Wednesday 1 February 2017, the Alternate Minister of Defence Dimitris Vitsas participated in a TV talk show hosted by journalist Giorgos Papadakis. The show was also attended by Dora Bakogiannis. The Alternate Minister stated the following:
With respect to the negotiations with the creditors:
As we speak there is a negotiation underway. Irrespective of whether the technical echelons are here, the discussions continue. We are interested in two things, and we operate in this context :
The first one is to close the evaluation, which is a positive scenario. We have stressed in the past that we are not going to vote now any preventive measures for 2019. We think this is unreasonable, it is not within the European law, the Greek Constitution and the agreement as a whole.
This is the main issue. Right now what we have is a program which – and there is no doubt about that – is moving on and is delivering. It has rendered a primary surplus which amounts to 4 billion Euro. We said from the very beginning that this might be painful but it is also a great step forward. As of September 2015, when this Government was first elected, we made that clear.
And here is the contradiction: If the program presents social problems, then the surplus measures will only worsen the situation. Right now is there a political force, e.g. the opposition dictating that we should take measures of 4.5 billion Euro for 2019? They should answer that.
Pretty soon, as things are proceeding, the evaluation will close. The IMF is contradicting itself. They want a primary surplus of 1.5% but still they accept the 3.5 % and they want us to take measures of 4.5 billion Euro. The EU on the other hand says 3.5% but no new measures.
The second evaluation does not include taxation measures. No new measures for 2019 will be presented in the Parliament.
The following issues are the obstacles in the negotiation. Concerning the labour problem we go by the European acquis. Concerning the fiscal situation there is a 200 million Euro difference, while the IMF is talking about 800 million Euro. We cannot talk about things out of the box when the programme is successful.
In 2015 there was an agreement according to which the IMF agreed and said that they would decide for their participation in February and March 2017. The 86 billion Euro of the agreement do not include the funding participation of the IMF.
We should not establish a financial context which destabilizes the position of the country.
For this government there never was an issue of drachma and Euro.
Through a negotiation procedure we should reach a solution which will be satisfactory and will not imply preventive measures. This scenario will become a reality.
With respect to the Imia anniversary and the Turkish challenges
We are honouring and will continue to do so, the three members of the Armed Forces who lost their lives on duty. We are handling the whole challenging situation and possible prevocational acts with calmness, responsibility and decisiveness. This became evident the day before yesterday and today.
As far as sovereignty and national independence issues are concerned the Armed Forces are always ready.
We will practice our right, within our territory to pay our respects and commemorate those who sacrificed their lives for our country.
Decisiveness means intercepting the aircraft violating our FIR.
With respect to the presence of the Turkish Chiefs in the sea area of Imia on Sunday:
It was a challenge expected but not at Chiefs level. This has to do more with the manner the Turkish side attempts to handle the case of our non extraditing the Turkish Officers, according to the ruling of the Supreme Court.
This attitude does not empower our friend and ally country, on the contrary it shows its weakness.
We will not back up. At diplomatic and defence levels we are doing what we should be doing.
