No discussion was reportedly held on Monday by members of the high-ranking government council for defense and armaments (KYSEA) regarding the supposed leasing of two French Fremm-type frigates by Greece, with the relevant minister in Paris, in fact, flatly denying the prospect.
It was Greek Alternate Defense Minister Fotis Kouvelis who last week made a high-profile press comment claiming that Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras had recently agreed with French President Emmanuel Macron over the leasing of two French Navy frigates by the Hellenic Navy, with the ships ready to “patrol this summer in the Aegean”, as he said.
Additionally, Kouvelis, who was retrieved from political retirement by Tsipras last month and tapped for a Cabinet position, said still bailout-dependent Greece was also studying the prospect of purchasing another two warships from France outright.
Nevertheless, on Monday French Defense Minister Florence Parly said Paris was not ready to lease any warships to Greece.
Kouvelis’ surprise announcement came amid another round of Turkish military provocations in the eastern Aegean over the recent period. At the same time, his now shaky revelation came four years after Tsipras, who was then the main opposition leader, ridiculed a proposal by the then Samaras government to lease similar French warships.
In a scathing response on Tuesday, main opposition New Democracy (ND) referred to a government that “deals even with the country’s defense with spectacular amateurism”.
