The latest tension in the eastern Aegean, attributed by Athens exclusively to Turkish provocations in both the air and sea, have apparently generated an initial first spike in defense spending by the Greek side, with an alternate defense minister on Friday saying the country will lease two French frigates, with the “next step being another two frigates”.
Minister Fotis Kouvelis, 69, who was retrieved from “political retirement” last month and tapped by PM Alexis Tsipras to join his Cabinet as an unelected member, insinuated that a second pair of warships will purchased outright.
He emphasized that the French vessels will be acquired with weapons systems intact and will be in a position to patrol Greek waters very soon, possibly in the summer.
While on the one hand revealing a hasty boost in naval firepower, Kouvelis, on the other hand, opined that “Greece cannot enter an arms race, but must increase its pre-emptive strength”.
In terms of the tension with Turkey, the long-time leftist politician and attorney by training expressed a view that provocations will continue up until the snap elections in the neighboring country this June, while also citing his concern over the possibility of a mishap turning into a “hot incident”.
