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Greece Defence and Security Report Q4 2009Published by: Business Monitor International Published: Nov. 3, 2009 - 51 Pages Table of Contents
AbstractThe Greek ministry of defence had planned to issue a request for proposals for a new advanced jet trainerin mid-2010, but this now appears to have been postponed until the second half of 2010. These aircraft,equipped with glass cockpits, are needed to train Greek pilots to fly the advanced versions of the F-16which is now in service and the more advanced aircraft due to be ordered. The delay is due to growingbudget constraints, which are a result of the global economic crisis. The crisis has also affected the keyGreek tourist and shipping industries.Meanwhile, the government is coming under pressure to increase the strength of the navy to combat thedual threats of piracy and illegal immigration. As a major shipping state, Greece is particularly vulnerableto piracy around core transport routes such as the Suez Canal and the Gulf of Aden. In 2008 there were anestimated 293 cases of piracy in the world, of which around 111 were in the Gulf of Aden. The mostactive Greek military operation is in the Indian Ocean where a Hellenic navy frigate is participating in theNATO Standing Maritime Group 2’s anti-piracy mission off the coast of Somalia. NATO has recentlyasked Greece to make a larger contribution to anti-piracy activities in the Indian Ocean. BMI also believes that the country will have to increase resources to its coast guard to deal with illegalimmigration. The Greek coast guard recorded 536 cases of illegal immigration by sea in 2008, with a totalof 146,000 migrants detained by the government in that year. With over 6,000 islands, Greece hasbecome one of the primary gateways into Europe for people-smugglers, with the main route from Turkeyless than a mile away across the Aegean sea. It is estimated that half of the EU’s illegal immigrants aredetected at Greece’s land or sea borders. The Greek coast guard has already had to upgrade its equipment,and now uses satellite navigation and night-vision technology, while army observation posts have beenset up on the island of Samos. However, more may have to be done to halt the flow of people trying to getinto the country. Meanwhile, the domestic security situation has deteriorated. Left wing extremists continued theircampaign of bombings and assassinations through the summer of 2009, including a bomb attack on theAthens stock exchange on September 2, causing one person minor injuries. On the same day anotherbomb exploded near a local government building in Thessaloniki, causing minor damage and no injuries. Get Full Details About This Report >> |
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