Greece to repay 8.45 million euros owed to NATO’s procurement agency
The Greek Parliament on Thursday voted an amendment submitted by the Climate Crisis and Civil Protection approving the repayment of more than eight million euros to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency (NSPA) for providing firefighting support to Greece between 2011 and 2016.
The debt, totaling 8,457,481.64 euros, concerns administrative costs, technical, flight and logistical support and maintenance of firefighting aircraft of Greece’s Fire Brigade, as well as firefighting services, through the lease of water-dropping helicopters.
Climate Crisis and Civil Protection Minister Christos Stylianides thanked lawmakers for showing consensus.
“It ends a chronic problem that has plagued the country since 2011 and hampered the country’s ability to properly prepare in the critical sector of forest firefighting, through the timely lease of the necessary aircraft,” he said in a statement from Luxembourg where he is visiting for talks with NSPA.
“It was a landmine in the foundations of aerial firefighting for the country, a constant pending issue, which was finally settled.”
Stylianides said the move has “strengthened Greece’s negotiating position” as it engages in new talks with NSPA on leasing aircraft for the next three to five years are taking place.
