War in Ukraine: The effects on Greece at the heart of the debate in Parliament

The effects of the war crisis in Ukraine are on the agenda, today, Tuesday, to be debated by the political leadership of the country. In the process of “announcements and statements of the government before  Parliament”, as described in Article 142A of the Rules of Procedure, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will inform the House at 11.00, about the crisis in Ukraine and the consequences for Greece, and the positions of the political leaders  will follow.

The debate is expected to be dominated by, in addition to the results of the negotiations in Belarus, the objections of opposition parties to send defense equipment to Ukraine.

“We hope and wish that responsibility and prudence prevail so that we can all face together, on the right side of history, this unprecedented challenge. With prudence and determination, with unity and of course with national self-confidence”, said government spokesman Giannis Economou, during yesterday’s briefing of the political reporters and the foreign press correspondents.

The government spokesman stressed that Greece must be clear and uncompromising towards acts that constitute a violation of international treaties, international law, against Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and this means not only condemnation of the invasion but practical and active support of its people. Ukraine and therefore the deployment of defense equipment and humanitarian aid “is fully in line with the decisions of the entire western world, the EU. and NATO. ”

Mr. Economou also underlined that the decisions were taken “in the proper way, after the authorization given by the Government Council on Foreign Affairs and Defense – KYSEA to the competent ministers, within the framework of the responsibilities of each one to send aid”.

Objections to the sending of military equipment to Ukraine

“The condemnation of the invasion and violation of international law that is currently taking place in Ukraine must be unanimous and clear,” said SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance spokesman Nassos Iliopoulos, speaking yesterday to SKAI channel, adding that “We must clearly support Ukraine so that the invasion can end quickly. Greece must assist with humanitarian aid and support the refugees.” Nassos Iliopoulos, who also stressed that “we are in an area that needs, for all the reasons of the world, to support international law and to be against any revisionist effort”, stressed, however, that “sending military equipment is a dangerous move and can create problems “, noting that” not all countries are in our geographical position and not all of them face the risks that we face.”

The president of PASOK – Movement for Change, Nikos Androulakis, described the decision of the Greek government to send defense equipment to Ukraine as correct, as it is part of a relevant European decision, as he stressed. Speaking yesterday in his party’s parliamentary group, he accused members of the main opposition of colluding with the Greek far right in Ukraine, as well as the prime minister because he did not inform any political leader about the aid mission. That is why he called for the immediate convening of the Council of Political Leaders, calling national reconciliation the only way.

Nikos Androulakis also stated that “the decision to use the European mechanism for peace and the common market – transfer of military equipment and supplies, worth a total of 500 million euros to Ukraine is a European decision in the right direction.”

Describing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine as “illegal and completely reprehensible”, he stressed that the whole planet has crossed the threshold of a different era since last Wednesday, and blamed Vladimir Putin who, based on military power, he is promoting a new revisionist doctrine, also that it violates any notion of international law. “Our thoughts are with the Ukrainian people as well as the numerous Greeks,” who already count 12 victims, said N. Androulakis.

“The New Democracy government, by sending military equipment to Ukraine within the framework of NATO, is stepping up its involvement in an imperialist war that is unfolding with unpredictable dimensions and with great dangers for the people,” communist party KKE has warned that “the country’s armed forces have no job outside the borders, nor can Greek lands, infrastructure and means be used as military-war bridges, as is done with military bases in Alexandroupolis and Stefanovikeio.”

“The government bears enormous responsibilities for our country’s participation in the war and for the great dangers that may arise for the Greek people. Here and now all participation and involvement has to stop,” the KKE has underlined.

“At a time when the Greeks of Ukraine are in danger of being slaughtered by the warring parties, already there are mourning expatriate civilians in the greater Mariupol area, the government has decided to send ammunition to the Zelensky government,” the Hellenic Solution party said in a statement. “The government in these critical moments, should have as a top priority the protection of the Greek natives of Eastern Ukraine. Greece should take the lead in the effort for an immediate cessation of hostilities and mediate in order to find a diplomatic solution. Instead, the government chooses direct, unilateral involvement in a war conflict, exposing our expatriates to danger, while dividing the Greek people. Allowing Erdogan and Turkey to appear as a ‘peacemaker’ instead of apologizing for their ongoing crimes against Greece and Cyprus.”

A letter was sent to the president of SYRIZA-PS, Alexis Tsipras and to the secretary general of the KKE, Dimitris Koutsoumbas, by the secretary of MERA25, Giannis Varoufakis, calling for coordination of the anti-war actions between the three parties. “The Russian invasion of Ukraine puts us in front of two interrelated responsibilities”: “To defend a people who face the barbaric invasion of the Putin regime’s troops” and “to prevent the threat to Greece posed by the choice of the Mitsotakis government to do whatever it takes to do what Washington and NATO dictate to it”, says Yanis Varoufakis and in this context, proposes the coordination of anti-war actions in a two ways: “Immediate end of the war and withdrawal of Russian troops in the framework of an international agreement that will allow the people of the country to live free in an Independent, Neutral, Democratic Ukraine” and “removal of the American bases from Greece, which make the country and our people a target of foreign powers, without contributing anything to the defense of the country from real foreign threats “.