A political dispute in Greece over a controversial arms deal with Saudi Arabia is deepening, with opposition politicians and critics decrying plans to sell 66m euros ($78.7m) worth of surplus missiles and bombs to the Arab Gulf country.
Opposition politicians have accused the government, which is currently headed by the leftist Syriza party, of not following the proper procedures for an international agreement, while critics have decried selling weapons to a country engaged in war.
Saudi Arabia is currently leading a coalition of countries waging war in neighbouring Yemen, the poorest country in the Arab region.
Legislators from New Democracy, the centre-right opposition party, claim that Defence Minister Panos Kammenos, illegally employed a private broker to negotiate the terms of the agreement with Saudi Arabia, a charge the defence minister denies.
Greek law stipulates that such agreements must be handled by government officials.
New Democracy has previously called for Kammenos to resign over the deal, saying in a statement that "provocative" agreement was executed "without a trace of transparency".
During a heated debate in the Greek parliament on Monday, New Democracy leader Kyriakos Mitsotakis called for an investigation into the arms deal and the alleged role of a private broker.
In response, Alexis Tsipras, prime minister, accused New Democracy and a "media lobby" of using the deal to unfairly target the government.
Tsipras claimed the broker, Greek national Vassilis Papadopoulos, was procured by Saudi Arabia, an assertion that country has previously denied in media statements........http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2017/11/anger-greek-plans-sells-bombs-saudi-arabia-171127130521739.html
SOURCE: AL JAZEERA NEWS
27/11/17
GR
FR
DE
ES
IT
RU
EU
No comments :
Post a Comment
Only News