The scope will judge the safeguards provided by Greece so that the SAFE mechanism for the allocation of 150 billion euros of European loans not to ultimately be used for unconditional and conditions strengthening the Turkish Defense Industry, But also to promote a special relationship that Ankara is looking for with the EU, focusing on European defense.
The safeguards given both by presenting the Safe Regulation and to the coreper instruments and General Affairs Council who have approved him, like all European texts, have multiple interpretations and are exposed to political correlations and diplomatic balances.
Diplomatic sources in Athens, responding yesterday to the criticism of the opposition parties, stressed that their unanimity and consultation of them national security interests are secured.
Specifically, the same sources mentioned the following:
– The regulation is a specific funding program, limited (four years). It was adopted by a special majority (therefore no veto is foreseen), in which 26 states, including Greece and Cyprus.
– Greece, during the negotiations, managed to secure strong legal bases on the conditions for participation of candidates to join countries.
– The regulation sets the general framework of the procedure. EU bilateral agreements will follow with every third country, if the conditions are met. After Greek intervention, these agreements will require unanimity under Article 212 of the TFEU.
Diplomatic sources thus tried to reassure concerns about the possibility of overpowering some of the safeguards Greece has received in a plan in which from the outset There was no blockage of blockageneither from Greece nor from Cyprus.
In the EU a positive climate for cooperation in the defense sector has been formed Turkey and dominates the perception that such a cooperation will bring Ankara closer to Europe, even though in recent years it has been following a autonomous foreign policyoften moving in opposite directions from the principles and goals of common foreign policy.
The collaboration of the Turkish Defense Industry with Italian and Spanish companies, as well as the pursuit on its part NATO For closer cooperation with the EU From alliance member states that are not members of the Union, they offer a significant diplomatic impulse to Turkey.
Compliance with Greece’s safeguards will be constantly tested in the coming period, as they are captured by different interpretations, which will be combined with the partners to remove obstacles in defense cooperation with Turkey.
The legal basis of Article 212 TFEU on the agreements to be signed by third countries relates to the participation of 65% of the value of the project or commission. However, it does not directly refer to the Regulation, but to a statement by the Commission attached to the minutes of the Coreper and the General Affairs Council. This weakens its binding and in the event of a deadlock or absence of unanimity, the Commission It is not institutionally committed not to come back on a different legal basis, which will allow the participation of a third country by a special majority.
In addition, the Article 16 of the Regulation states: “Guarantees provide guarantees that the contractor or subcontractor involvement in the common commission does not contradict the security and defense interests of the Union and Member States, as defined in the context of the Common Foreign and Security Policy.”
This concerns the companies that will claim the 35%project, for which there is no formal obligation beyond that report.
For third -party companies that will probably claim project in a consortium with European or through vehicles of European companies that have been acquired by themselves, it will be extremely difficult to prove and accept as a sufficient reason for exclusion, the incompatibility with EU security and defense interests. and the Member States. In addition, decisions will be made with majority.
Greece, in this battle that begins with the approval of the $ 150 billion SAFE mechanism regulation, has tools to push to put limits and terms of Turkey’s participation in European equipment, but it is an effort that will require constant alertness and significant diplomatic capital.
At the same time, this effort will not leave Athens’ relationship with Ankara unaffected, as the Turkish side perceives any Greek energy that promotes the paradox to seek deepening relations with the EU. a country that maintains the case of warchallenges the sovereignty of Member State and holds territory of another Member State as hostile and malicious act, incompatible with Greek -Turkish approach.
And in this battle, Greece will unfortunately need to face the short -sighted policy of many partners who, once again, in terms of Turkey, insist on ostrichesindifferent to the fact that the temporary possible benefits of Turkey’s unconditional entry into European defense ultimately undermine the itself of the common defense and the common strategy for the future of the Union in a changing world.