Fallout from an ongoing political furor over a controversial deal to sell surplus military munitions to Saudi Arabia extended to the foreign ministry's leadership on Wednesday, days after the opposition first targeted outspoken Defense Minister Panos Kammenos.
Fallout from an ongoing political furor over a controversial deal to sell surplus military munitions to Saudi Arabia extended to the foreign ministry's leadership on Wednesday, days after the opposition first targeted outspoken Defense Minister Panos Kammenos.
Foreign Minister Nikos Kotzias, who was absent from a Parliament debate on the munitions sale on Monday due to a scheduled trip abroad, referred to "tricks" aimed at influencing public opinion by the opposition, citing New Democracy (ND) party's Giorgos Koumoutsakos and PASOK's Andreas Loverdos by name.
Kotzias and the opposition have gone "toe-to-toe" on whether MPs have the right to see confidential correspondence between the ministries of foreign affairs and defence with Greece's top diplomats in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A compromise by the Tsipas government would allow only party leaders or their representatives in Parliament to view such documents.
Kotzias said the two opposition MPs were "lying" in detailing the substance and "paper trail" between Athens and Riyadh.
The entire furor in Athens comes as deputies in the European parliament are set to vote on Thursday on a resolution calling on EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini to back an initiative leading to a weapons embargo by EU member-states on Saudi Arabia.
Several MEPs elected with the current ruling party in Greece, leftist SYRIZA, have indicated they would vote in favor of such a resolution.
A deal to sell between 100,000 to 300,000 rounds of ammunition and shells - statements and documents have varied on the exact amount - along with ordnance, for 66 million euros to Saudi Arabia generated a political firestorm in Athens over the past two weeks.
The opposition has vociferously charged that the current leftist-rightist coalition government, and especially Kammenos, employed or had tried to employ a shady Athens-based arms dealer to clinch the agreement.
No clear picture has emerged, even after a marathon Parliament debate on Monday, on whether the deal was completed or if it was scrapped, as well as the sale price and the exact quantity of munitions involved. Most reports out of the Greek capital point to the deal falling through.
Another angle that emerged only as the controversy was already splashed on the front pages of newspapers and the lead item on newscasts, was the fact that Saudi Arabia is an unofficial combatant in the current Yemen civil war.