Permanent Structured Cooperation

SOFIA, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A multinational military exercise involving army units from eight countries kicked off in Bulgaria on Monday, the country's Defense Ministry said.

Today, foreign affairs ministers and defence ministers discussed the implementation of the EU Global Strategy in the area of security and defence. The Council then adopted conclusions which highlight the significant progress in strengthening cooperation in the area of security and defence and provide further guidance on next steps. 

Permanent structured cooperation (PESCO)

Parliament gave a "green light" for the purchase of new combat equipment. The two priority projects for the modernization of the army, proposed by a decision of the Council of Ministers were supported 151 MPs, 7 MPs were against, and 1 abstaining .

US Ambassador Geoffrey Pyatt visited the Hellenic Air Force's 110 Combat Wing air base in Larissa, central Greece Thursday and met with US personnel ahead of the temporary deployment there of American MQ-9 drones.

The chief of the Hellenic National Defense General Staff, Admiral Evangelos Apsotolakis, is traveling to the United States on Tuesday for a three-day visit.

Apostolakis's trip is part of ongoing contacts between Greece and US, and he will be meeting with his American counterpart, Joseph Dunford, in Washington DC.

The fast-tracking of procedures to implement a 1-billion-euro defense program was agreed on Monday during a meeting of the Parliament's Arms Committee. The decision was taken after a confidential briefing of the committee regarding the immediate needs of the country's land, naval and air forces, Ekathimerini reported.

Bulgarian and U.S. Armed Forces have completed a 5-day joint tactical exercise in Bulgaria. Bulgarian Armed Forces Lt. Col. Ivaylo Ivanov was Commanding Officer over the combined U.S. and Bulgarian soldiers.

Greek armed forces tackle Turkish provocations prudently while offering this country a reliable prevention force, the chief of the Hellenic Armed Forces General Staff, Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis told the Delphi Economic Forum on Thursday.

NATO plans to build a new planning, logistics and command center that will be on German territory, DPA reported.

The initiative is from the German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen. The new center will be located in the Cologne-Bonn region, North Rhine Westphalia.

The place is suitable because there is the headquarters of the Bundeswehr united forces.