On Monday, 21 December 2020, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, briefed the members of the Special Standing Committee on Armament Programs & Contracts of the Hellenic Parliament on the three subprograms forwarded for an opinion.

More specifically:

• The procurement of used Wheeled Armoured Reconnaissance Vehicles for the Hellenic Army.

• The follow-on support of Hellenic Air Force C-27 J “Spartan” transport aircraft.

• The establishment of an International Flight Training Centre in Kalamata with financial lease.

The Special Standing Committee met at the Senate Hall of the Parliament and included the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Georgios Blioumis, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Charalampos Lalousis, and the General Director of the General Directorate for Defence Investments and Armaments, Lieutenant General (HAF) Theodoros Lagios (ret.).

Earlier, Mr. Panagiotopoulos presented to the plenary session the provisions promoted by the Ministry of National Defence in the Ministry of Health bill under the title: “Regulations for the protection of Public Health from the effects of the ‘COVID-19’ pandemic, the enhancement of public transport, the speeding-up of pension award, the settlement of dues to local government, and other urgent provisions”.

During the discussion and before the voting on principle of the articles and the entire bill, the Minister stated the following:

“This will be a short comment because things are clear concerning the proposed provisions of the Ministry of National Defence in the bill discussed. These are included in articles 119 through 123 and aim, on one hand, at the constant enhancement of the fighting capability of the Armed Forces (mainly the Navy, as well as at addressing matters of continuous welfare for the military and civilian personnel and the provision of motives to reward performance, in terms of career progression.

In particular, paragraph 4 of article 119 extends the validity of article 63 of L. 4690/20, which expired on 30 October, for 6 additional months until 31 May 2021. This ensures funds to cover expenses for diagnostic testing and medical care for military and civilian personnel of the Ministry of National Defence serving in countries outside the European Union who have been infected or may be infected by the coronavirus.

This regulation includes family members of these military and civilian personnel who reside with them. Since, in many third countries outside the European Union, the cost for care is disproportionately high and can not be covered by the salaries of these military and civilian personnel, we come in and alleviate our personnel in terms of medical care as a result of the extraordinary needs that arose due to ‘COVID-19’.

Paragraph 5 of article 119 extends supervision of the Building Cooperative for Hellenic Army Career Officers (OSMAES) by the Ministry of National Defence by one year, i.e. until 31 December 2021, until certain great chronic management and finance-related problems are resolved before OSMAES comes under the Ministry of Finance, as already decided. This extension is necessary in order to resolve pending matters concerning the Cooperative’s programmes, following which it will come under the Ministry of Finance.

Regarding article 120 on the qualifications of Professional Soldiers and the amendment of article 2 of L. 2936/01, we extend the age limit as a qualification for participation in Professional Soldier enlistment procedures from 20 to 31 only for those serving in the Armed Forces as Short-time Reenlistment Soldiers. The rationale behind this intervention is to enhance the Professional Soldier institution with specialized and experienced personnel (already serving Short-time Reenlistment Soldiers) in order to better meet the needs of the Armed Forces, mainly in terms of low grade personnel, in operational and technical specialties that require proper training.

Article 121 concerns the regulation of matters of evaluation and promotion of Officers originally from Higher NCO Military Schools and established Volunteers and, respectively, established female Volunteers, replacing article 37 of L. 4494/17. It concerns active duty Officers originally from Higher NCO Military Schools and similar personnel, described as “originally established male and female volunteers” falling under the provisions on evaluation and promotion of L. 4439/96 with 25 years of actual military service by 31 December 2015.

At this point, we come in to correct a legislative omission of article 37 of L. 4494/17, according to which they had fallen under the Law on evaluation and promotion with regard to the calculation of the years of military service required at the ranks of Captain and Major (and the respective ranks of the other services of the Armed Forces) for promotion to the next higher rank, i.e. to the rank of Major and Lieutenant Colonel.

With this regulation, the service time for career Officers will be calculated beyond the thirteen years following enlistment. Thus, we equate, providing equal treatment in identical situations, without discrimination. And since similar issues have been raised concerning following classes, I will answer to that too, but at this point we regulate the matters concerning the Higher NCO Military School Class of 1990, in essence we serve justice to this Officer category.

The final two articles regulate the well-known matter concerning the extension of the contracts for the construction of two Hellenic Navy Fast Patrol Boats build at Elefsis Shipyards on one hand, by means of article 122, and on the other hand, by means of article 123, the submarines maintained and built at Skaramangas Shipyards (ENAE).

Regarding article 122, we have two additional Fast Patrol Boats under construction. One is almost complete and the other is close to completion at Elefsis Shipyards. This provision affords an extension to the Fast Patrol Boats construction schedule by three additional months until 31 March 2021 so that the boats can be delivered to the Hellenic Navy as soon as possible for operational use, given the fact that these boats need to be built, the programme is in progress.

The tendering procedure for these shipyards has not been completed, the employees must not, it is not proper, live and work in uncertainty. So we come in and provide an extension, as we have done many times in the past for many quarters (previously semesters) to the construction contract for the Fast Patrol Boats in Elefsis and the submarines in Skaramangas for three additional months.

At the same time, this extension is also funded with additional €3,575,000 to cover salaries, employee security contributions, operating costs, and the procurement of materials and services to complete the programme in Elefsis. For Skaramangas, the respective amount is €13,700,000 for the quarter to cover Salaries, operating costs, technical support and materials to complete the programme.

I believe that the Parliament agrees, I simply request that you vote for these provisions.

Thank you”.

Replying to clarifications requested on the proposed provisions of the Ministry of National Defence by MPs, Mr. Panagiotopoulos stressed the following:

“Regarding Mr. Mpoukoros’s question, I have already stated from this floor within the framework of parliamentary control that the matter concerning the Higher NCO Military School Class of 1991 will be addressed later and we will see how far we can push the limit, as you understand we also have the Class of 1992. Today, we resolve a long-overdue pending matter, that of the Class of 1990. But we have already said that we are positive to resolve pending matters concerning the other Classes too in order to equate the treatment of identical situations across the entire spectrum. So yes, our intention is to do it. Today, we had to legislate for the Class of ’90, given the fact that they are on the verge concerning their career progression.

Regarding Mr. Viliardos’s question, if I had the full view of the tendering procedure for the two shipyards, I could give you an image. I do not have it. I have wished before that the extension we brought for voting three months ago for the two shipyards would be the last. Unfortunately, this was not possible, since the process concerning the future status, the investment in the two shipyards, progresses very slowly.

I truly hope, and this is my wish, that this is the last extension we will need and that in three months the status will be different, but having equally or even more functional shipyards, those of Elefsis and Skaramangas, to the benefit of the Hellenic Navy and the Armed Forces”.