Parliament approves Defence Min bill with wide majority

The bill, tabled by the Ministry of National Defence, was titled "Establishment of the Hellenic Center for Defense Innovation, modernisation of the institutional framework of the Higher Military Educational Institutions, establishing a Joint Computer Science Corps in the Armed Forces, and other provisions". 

Besides ruling New Democracy, supporting the bill were main opposition SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance, PASOK-Movement for Change (KINAL), and Spartiates. Voting against it were the Greek Communist Party (KKE), Elliniki Lysi, Nea Aristera and Niki, while Plefsi Eleftherias voted present.

Addressing parliament, National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias expressed willingness to continuously brief parties about armaments, noting that the parliamentary Committee on Armament Programs and Contracts would meet in the upcoming days. At the committee meeting, parties, he said, "will discuss the Constellation [frigates], we will discuss F-35s, and we will also discuss the launch of the submarine program."

He added that manufacturing the submarines would "take a long time" before they are ready. "It is clear, however, that we cannot allow the balance in the Aegean to be disrupted, particularly under the sea."