Greece advocates excluding defense spending from EU deficit calculation
During a working dinner in Athens, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis reiterated on Thursday that money allocated for defense spending should not be factored into the European Union's deficit calculations. The statement was made during discussions with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, where the two leaders also explored various issues concerning both countries.
AAMitsotakis emphasized the importance of excluding defense expenditure from the EU's deficit calculations, a stance echoed in the statement from the Greek Prime Minister's Office.
In addition to defense spending concerns, the meeting revolved around enhancing bilateral relations, with a primary focus on strengthening economic ties, particularly in the energy sector.
Addressing mutual interests and shared challenges, Mitsotakis and Meloni concurred on the necessity of a comprehensive European migration policy that entails border security measures and a concerted effort to combat human smuggling networks while dissuading departures from third countries.
Furthermore, the leaders agreed to convene the Supreme Council of Greece-Italy Cooperation in the first half of 2024 in Italy.