German technology production line project Armored Fighting Vehicles (TOMA) Lynx and maintenance of craftsmen Tanks Leopard in Greece will be submitted early next week (Monday or Tuesday) by the Minister of National Defense Nikos Panagiotopoulos competent parliamentary committee. Presentation of the plan just 24 hours before the arrival of the German Chancellor Olaf Soltz in Athens (October 26-27) is intended to signal that there is a desire in Athens, despite difficult circumstances, to advance a program that will bring the two countries closer defense cooperation for the first time in twenty years. However, the implementation of such a program faces a number of difficulties.

In recent months, on his part Ministry of National Defense intensive efforts are being made to overcome various serious procedural issues, with Mr. Panagiotopoulos devoting a lot of time to this issue, mainly responding to GES’s expressed need for TOMA to finally replace the obsolete M-113c. The total cost of such an agreement (modernization of the Leopards and delivery of the Lynx) could range from 3.1 to 3.4 billion euros, not counting the cost of potential offsets or compromises with litigation that the Greek state already has with KMW. However, the terms of repayment were requested from the Greek side if such an agreement becomes possible.

N. Panagiotopoulos will present the plans of Athens to the competent committee of the Parliament, and the visit of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz is inevitable.

The question has, first of all, a geopolitical dimension, since Germany has practically not participated in armaments in recent years, and France and the United States were the two main countries with which Athens concluded agreements. Although the agenda of the negotiations has not yet been announced, it is possible that the two leaders, as part of their contacts, will also sign a memorandum or declaration of intent for closer cooperation between Greece and Germany in the field of defense. It is considered very likely that Germany’s intention to supply Greece with another 100 Marder-type TOMAs will be announced. However, yesterday from Berlin (where Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias met on the sidelines of a conference on the Western Balkans with his colleague Analena Burbock), Deputy Government Representative Wolfgang Buechner expressed some dissatisfaction with Turkish threats. “We always make it clear that we do not consider threats and unfriendly statements against neighbors appropriate. The government is making this clear at every opportunity,” said Mr Buechner.

According to some reports, negotiations with German companies were treated with great caution due to the persons who initially represented them. In addition, there are a number of state claims pending in the courts for damages against KMW and Rheinmetall for delay and non-compliance and for active bribery and money laundering (based on sentences in Germany) and, conversely, appeals by the Germans to the arbitration court. The same sources also express concern about the role of tanks in modern warfare.

Finally, it is noted that yesterday Mr. Panagiotopoulos spoke on the phone with his Israeli counterpart Benny Gantz about cooperation between the two countries. Although no official leads have been released, it is clear that there is concern in Athens over Mr Gantz’s decision to postpone his visit to Kalamata shortly before he announces his move to Ankara next week.