A matter of national importance

Belharra frigates, Rafale fighters and (if we can afford them) F-35 fighter jets are all well and good. Greece urgently needed them. We had fallen hopelessly behind, particularly the Hellenic Navy. It is also very positive that, for the first time in decades, officials are studying and redesigning the link between armaments, the defense industry and innovation. It is mind-boggling and enraging that after so many billions spent on defense procurements over the past 40 years nothing was gained by the domestic defense industry and research. Only kickbacks and questionable offsets.

However, we must not forget that in addition to armaments, the country also needs a robust foreign policy, which is obviously exercised on a personal basis and at a high level by the prime minister, the foreign minister and other officials. Greece has traditionally had a good and strong Ministry of...