Clear answers on how the country intends to utilize the new European investment tool, the Defence Equity Facility, as well as transparency, are being sought by Michalis Katrinis, Member of Parliament and head of PASOK’s National Defense Committee, in a parliamentary question and a request for the submission of documents addressed to the Minister of National Defense.
As noted in the question, the creation of the new European investment instrument, the Defence Equity Facility, worth 1 billion euros, was announced at the European level to finance companies operating in the defense, space, and cybersecurity sectors.
At the national level, the President and CEO of ELKAK stated in a press release that contracts totaling approximately 120 million euros are already being implemented for the development of Greek defense prototypes.
This statement raises reasonable and critical questions regarding transparency, the project selection process, the expected results, as well as the overall national strategy for leveraging the new European financing instruments to benefit the Greek defense industry, the PASOK MP notes.
He emphasizes, in fact, that the Defence Equity Facility is a European investment tool and not a grant program of the Ministry of National Defense, while for projects under the European Defence Fund (EDF), proposals are evaluated by the European Commission and independent evaluators, not by the Ministry of National Defense.
In his question, Michalis Katrinis asks for clarification on the national strategy for utilizing the Defense Equity Facility, so that Greek companies can effectively take advantage of the available European financing instruments, the process for selecting and supporting Greek companies, and the expected measurable results from the aforementioned funding.
At the same time, it requests that all detailed information regarding these contracts be submitted, along with any available documents pertaining to the specific funding and the plan for utilizing the Defense Equity Facility.