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Minister of defense Evangelos Venizelos and deputy minister Panos Beglitis announced at a press conference that this year €700 million were saved from armament and equipment expenses. Military equipment will be reduced even more even throughout next year – in 2009 the military expenses were €3.157 billion and it is expected that in 2010 the amount will be reduced to less than €2.72 billion. In 2011 only €350 million will be spent for armament and in 2012 €85 million.

Minister Venizelos expressed his position for the necessary legal support from the Chief direction of armament and equipment. He had asked for support from the Center of International and European Economic Right, in order to adopt the European legislature for receiving additional guarantees for transparency in the choice of armament suppliers.

Regarding the possibility of Turkey to participate as a European power, supervising the Greek-Turkish border in the air, in order to capture illegal immigrants, minister Venizelos said that this is possible only if Turkey respects the territorial wholeness of Greece and all international rules and regulations. The minister had had a meeting with the new Turkish ambassador H. Gogis, on which they discussed the relationship between the two countries and emphasis was put on the presence of Turkish airplanes over Farmakonisi Island. In relation to this the minister stressed that the goal is to put all problems under political control and to avoid unnecessary tension.

Evangelos Venizelos also spoke with US ambassador Daniel Speckhard and referred to this meeting as “interesting”. The two officials had discussed their interstate relationship and some questions connected with NATO and operation Afghanistan. Greece will continue to keep its international promises and the ministry will work towards protecting its national interests.