Greece’s breasts the tape in defence expences

With defense expenditures reaching 3.82 percent of GDP, Greece became the country that allocates the largest share to armament among NATO countries.

During the pandemic period, supply chains were broken, economies contracted, costs rose, industries entered a crisis...

Our country, Greece, whose economy is the lifeblood of tourism, was dragged to the brink of a major crisis and invested its non-existent money in armament.

The report, which includes the most up-to-date defense expenditures of NATO Countries (2014-2021), published by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), revealed the armament of Greece.

Even the defense expenditures of the USA were 3.52 percent compared to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) the rate of defense expenditures of Greece reached 3.82 percent.

BUDGET INCREASES CONTINUES

While Greek armament motivation was discussed, the budget of the Greek Ministry of Defense continued to increase. The budget, which was 3.35 billion euros in 2020, was increased to 5.44 billion euros in 2021. This rate was determined as 6.39 billion euros in 2022. The annual rate of increase reached 17.5%.

Although Greece could not come out of the economic crisis, the budget of the Greek Ministry of Defense has returned to its pre-crisis level.

In addition, the budget allocated for arms purchases in 2022 was increased by 856 million euros. This rate points to a 34 percent increase compared to 2021.

HIGHEST SPEND

The USA, which is the country with the highest defense expenditure in the world, lagged behind Greece in proportional expenditures.

While the defense expenditures of the USA were 3.52 percent compared to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), the ratio of the defense expenditures of Greece was 3.82 percent. This rate was at the top among all NATO countries. The sharing of Greece's defense expenditures in 2021 was as follows:

• Personnel expenses: 55.4%
• Military equipment purchases: 38.3%
• Operations, containment and other expenses: 5.9%
• Infrastructure: 0.4%

At this point, it is seen that Greece has a very high share especially in military equipment purchases. Croatia (43.5%) and Luxembourg (42.4%) are in the first two places in the shares allocated to the purchase of equipment among NATO countries, followed by Greece.

DEFENSE EXPENDITURES

According to the information compiled by the Defense Industry Site, the increase in the amount that Greece allocates to defense year by year is listed as follows:

• 2014: $5.2 billion
• 2015: $4.5 billion
• 2016: $4.6 billion
• 2017: $4.7 billion
• 2018: $5.3 billion
• 2019: $4.8 billion
• 2020: $5 billion
• 2021: $8 billion 

EXPENDITURES ON MILITARY EQUIPMENT

Looking at the ratios allocated to equipment purchases from the defense budgets, the armament attitude of Greece emerges:

• 2014: 8.14%
• 2015: 10.40%
• 2016: 13.45%
• 2017: 11.28%
• 2018: 11.03%
• 2019: 12.51 %
• 2020: 12.06%
• 2021: 38.30%

From this table, it is seen that Greece entered the military modernization process with a huge increase in 2021.

ARMAMENT WILL CONTINUE

The impact of the new armament package announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in September 2020 on the Greek defense budget can be seen quite clearly. According to the statement made by Mitsotakis, the new armament package included the following purchases:

• 18 Rafale Fighter Jets,
• 4 New Generation Frigates,
• 4 MH-60R SeaHawk Helicopters,
• Heavy Class Torpedo Munitions for Submarines

These purchases by Greece were expected to cost 10 billion euros in total, but it was announced that Greece would not be satisfied with these purchases and would make additional purchases.