Greece to buy new planes, frigates amid Turkey tensions

Greece’s prime minister outlined plans Saturday to upgre country’s defense capabilities, including purchasing new fighter planes, frigates, helicopters and weapons systems amid heightened tensions with Turkey over rights to resources in eastern Mediterranean.

In an annual state of ecomy speech, Prime Miniers Kyriakos Mitsotakis said Greece would obtain 18 new French-me Rafale fighter planes, four navy helicopters and four new frigates, and was refurbishing ar four frigates.

army will obtain new anti-tank weapons, new torpedoes and new guided missiles, as well as hire 15,000 more people over next five years, he said.

minally NATO allies, Greece and Turkey have deployed naval and air force units to assert countries’ competing claims over energy rights in eastern Mediterranean. Turkish survey vessels and drill ships continue to prospect for gas in waters where Greece and European island nation of Cyprus claim exclusive ecomic rights.

increasing tension at sea has led to concerns that situation could spiral into armed conflict.

“We are a peaceful country, rey to cooperate with all... including with Turkey,” Mitsotakis said, speaking from rrn city of ssaloniki. If Turkey disagrees on delineation of maritime boundaries in eastern Aegean, he said, n a solution could be found at International Court.

Turkey accuses Greece of trying to grab an unfair share of maritime resources and Cyprus of disregarding rights of Turkish Cypriots on ethnically divided island.

Greece and Turkey have conducted rival naval exercises amid ir standoff. On Friday, Turkey anunced live-fire exercises starting Saturday and running through Monday between its sourn coast and rrn Cyprus.

“Ankara is w ding to provocations in Aegean, undermining of peace in entire Mediterreanean,” Mitsotakis said, ting that Greece’s armed forces h lacked funding in recent years during a recession. “ time (has come) to reinforce armed forces as a legacy to security of country.”

Ans has been pushing for European Union to impose sanctions on Turkey unless Ankara withdraws its research vessel, Oruc Reis, from area of eastern Mediterranean that Greece claims as its continental shelf.

prime minister also dressed ecomic measures to tackle impact of coronavirus pandemic, anuncing some tax cuts and extension of subsidies.