Turkey's participation in the SAFE fund causes concern in Greece
The possibility of Turkey being included in the European Union's new defense fund, SAFE, has caused great anxiety in Greece. While Athens is striving to prevent Turkey from integrating into the European defense system, it finds its hands tied due to fears of isolation within the EU.
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The European Union's new 150 billion euro defense fund, SAFE, has sparked concern in Greece over the possibility of Turkey's participation. This major investment in Turkey's defense industry is being closely monitored by Greece.
Approved in Brussels, SAFE aims to increase Europe's defense capacity and was accepted with the approval of 26 out of 27 EU countries.
Hungary, meanwhile, abstained from the vote.
The fact that the fund also covers countries in the membership candidacy process strengthens the possibility of Turkey benefiting from this fund.
Greece, for its part, plans to take legal and political steps to prevent Turkey's participation in this fund. However, Article 16 of the SAFE agreement requires that the security interests of member states be taken into account, leaving Athens with limited room for maneuver. Greece is considering using this article by framing Turkey as a security threat.
The Greek press interpreted Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis's desire for direct talks with President Erdoğan as an effort to resolve the issue of the Greek islands' continental shelf at the level of bilateral relations. Mitsotakis is prioritizing issues such as the determination of maritime jurisdiction areas with Turkey and the signing of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. However, it is believed that Turkey will not accept such an agreement.
The Greek press suggested that even if Athens cannot prevent Turkey from benefiting from the SAFE fund, it could slow down the process. This situation could increase the risk of Greece becoming isolated within the EU. The SAFE agreement was signed despite Hungary's abstention, and the EU is placing greater importance on the threat posed by Russia on the continent.
The Greek press is criticizing Mitsotakis's stance on this issue. While the newspaper Dimokritia claims that Mitsotakis is handing over Greek sovereignty to the Turks, the website ProtoThema described the government's support for Turkey's participation in European defense as a diplomatic defeat. Mitsotakis's actions continue to be criticized by the Greek public.