Political Risk:
High
Score:
45/100
Defence and Security Policy and Policy Transparency
Q1
67/100
Is there formal provision for effective and independent legislative scrutiny of defence policy?
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Parliament has the power to scrutinise defence policy and legislation. It cannot veto defence policy under any circumstances. However, it can review the defence…
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Parliament debates and reviews defence policy but only occasionally. There are two parliamentary committees: the Permanent National Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee (PNDFAC) and…
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Neither the Executive nor the Military coerce or unduly influence Parliament over any matter. Since 1974, Greece has been a functioning liberal democracy where…
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Q2
25/100
Does the country have an identifiable and effective parliamentary defence and security committee (or similar such organisations) to exercise oversight?
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There is a permanent National Defence and Foreign Affairs Committee which consists of 54 members drawn from all parliamentary parties. The committee has formal…
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Only some of the committee members have relevant expertise as indicated by their resumes. However, it is customary that former MPs who served as…
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The committee does not regularly review major defence policies. In effect, the committee plays a minor role in the foreign and defence policy decision-making…
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The committee does not exercise any short-term oversight over defence policy or annual strategy but functions more as a forum for debating national defence…
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The committee does not conduct long-term investigations into defence and security issues. The only notable exception to this is the investigation into the Turkish…
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This indicator has been scored Not Applicable, as the committee does not usually provide recommendations [1, 2]. Moreover, there is a lack of such…
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Q3
50/100
Is the country’s national defence policy or national security strategy debated and publicly available?
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There is a growing interest in defence and security issues due to the challenging security environment [1]. Ministers of Defence, Foreign Affairs, and Citizen…
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The discussion of defence policy has focused on external threats (e.g. Turkish claims to the Aegean Sea) and the level of defence spending at…
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There is a limited consultation process involving the Greek public through the website OpenGov.gr. There is occasionally public consultation on draft legislative proposals covering…
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Only a few documents on defence and security are available to the public. The last version of The White Paper on Defence was published…
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Q4
25/100
Do defence and security institutions have a policy, or evidence, of openness towards civil society organisations (CSOs) when dealing with issues of corruption?
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[1] There are neither formal nor informal policies requiring openness towards civil society organisations. Despite Greece’s high defence expenditure, there are no national CSOs…
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Greek CSOs enjoy a range of protections from government interference. They are thus able to operate without fear of potential reprisals [1]. Nevertheless, they…
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There is no engagement between Greek CSOs and the defence sector for two reasons. Firstly, Greece’s high defence expenditure is widely perceived as a…
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Q5
88/100
Has the country signed up to the following international anti-corruption instruments: UNCAC and the OECD Convention?
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Greece is not currently a significant defence exporter. There is a small defence industry consisting of problematic state-owned companies and small private firms. The…
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In March 2016, Greece successfully underwent a preliminary compliance check by the OECD. Greek companies operating abroad were praised for their cooperation in anti-corruption…
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Q6
75/100
Is there evidence of regular, active public debate on issues of defence? If yes, does the government participate in this debate?
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There is a rich public debate over defence issues due to perceived threats and Greece’s high defence spending [1, 2]. There are several magazines…
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From time to time, perhaps every five to six months depending on the situation, the Government informs the public about defence issues through press…
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Q7
75/100
Does the country have an openly stated and effectively implemented anti-corruption policy for the defence sector?
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Q8
0/100
Are there independent, well-resourced, and effective institutions within defence and security tasked with building integrity and countering corruption?
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There are no compliance or ethics units in the strict sense within defence and security currently. An Integrity Advisor’s Office will be established in…
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This indicator is scored ‘Not Applicable’ as there are no independent institutions within the MOD or other ministries focusing on eradicating corruption.
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This indicator is scored ‘Not Applicable’ Greece does not currently have such an institution.
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Q9
NS/100
Does the public trust the institutions of defence and security to tackle the issue of bribery and corruption in their establishments?
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This indicator is not assigned a score in the GDI. The Greek public tends to be sceptical of the MoD’s policy and procedures for…
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Q10
0/100
Are there regular assessments of the areas of greatest corruption risk for ministry and armed forces personnel, and are the findings used as inputs to the anti-corruption policy?
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No defence-specific assessment of corruption risk has been commissioned in recent years [1, 2]. It may be improved in the near future, as The…
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This indicator is scored ‘Not Applicable’ as the MoD and other relevant ministries do not conduct regular assessments of corruption risks [1, 2].
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This indicator is scored ‘Not Applicable’ as the MoD and other relevant ministries do not conduct regular assessments of corruption risks [1, 2].
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Defence Budgets
Q11
25/100
Does the country have a process for acquisition planning that involves clear oversight, and is it publicly available?
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There are very few explicit connections made between specific purchases and defence strategy requirements [1]. However, there is a process in place stipulated by…
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The Greek public has limited access to information regarding acquisition planning because this is treated as a national security issue [1, 2]. The MoD…
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There is no external oversight of the acquisition planning process [1, 2].
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Q12
63/100
Is the defence budget transparent, showing key items of expenditure? And it is provided to the legislature in a timely fashion?
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The defence budget contains comprehensive information on expenditure across functions (e.g. salaries and allowances, construction and procurement/acquisitions), in line with the appropriate codification according…
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According to the law 4270/2014, the Minister of Finance submits to the Hellenic Parliament the draft State Budget (and therefore the Defence Budget) at…
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Q13
25/100
Is there a legislative committee (or other appropriate body) responsible for defence budget scrutiny and analysis in an effective way?
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There is a Special Standing Parliamentary Committee on Armaments Programmes and Contracts with formal rights of scrutiny of the defence budget, but it lacks…
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The Special Standing Parliamentary Committee on Armaments Programmes and Contracts can review the implementation of armaments programmes and defence equipment contracts [1]. However the…
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Q14
58/100
Is the approved defence budget made publicly available? In practice, can citizens, civil society, and the media obtain detailed information on the defence budget?
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The approved state budget (including defence part) is published and made available to the public in partly disaggregated form in line with Governmental Classification…
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Once the state budget (including defence part) is approved it becomes available to public on designated public data website. Consequently, also MoD decision on…
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There is a serious and systematic failure to release information. This may be in specific areas or accessibility to requested information may vary according to the identity of…
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Q15
50/100
Are sources of defence income other than from central government allocation (from equipment sales or property disposal, for example) published and scrutinised?
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The publication of income sources is selective and no information is released on amounts received or on the allocation of this income [1, 2].…
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Mechanisms of scrutiny are in place and administered by central government departments such as the Supreme Audit Institution [1]. However, the Internal Audit Office…
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There is some scrutiny by the public, including by the media and CSOs, but it may not be in-depth or consistent [1]. In March…
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Q16
63/100
Is there an effective internal audit process for defence ministry expenditure (that is, for example, transparent, conducted by appropriately skilled individuals, and subject to parliamentary oversight)?
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The Independent Office of Preventive Audit, subordinated directly to the Director General on Defence Equipment and Investments, is responsible for conducting the precautionary audit,…
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Oversight occurs for sensitive or critical issues. Enabling oversight bodies (e.g. the Committee on Armaments Programs and Contracts) are provided with reports that may…
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Internal audit reports are sometimes released to legitimate external audit bodies and the internal audit process is subject to sporadic or superficial reviews by…
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The ministry sometimes addresses audit findings in its practices, but not regularly [1, 2]. There are no publicly available sources which illustrate this.
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Q17
69/100
Is there effective and transparent external auditing of military defence expenditure?
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The Hellenic Single Public Procurement Authority (HSPPA) is independent of the Ministry of Defence but reports to the Executive and the Parliament. However, the…
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The HSPPA has its own budget (i.e. passed by Parliament) and there are legal protections in place for this budget not to be altered…
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The Court of Audit has published its reports online (e.g. reports on audited accounts, oral briefings, expert advice, investigative work), but with some redactions…
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The ministry sometimes addresses audit findings in its practices, but not regularly [1, 2]. There are no publicly available sources which illustrate these institutional…
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Nexus of Defence and National Assets
Q18
83/100
Is there evidence that the country’s defence institutions have controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with the country’s natural resource exploitation and, if so, are these interests publicly stated and subject to scrutiny?
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In accordance with Law 4433/1964 all related natural resources exploitation is conducted under the authority of Ministry of Environment and Energy [1]. MoD has…
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There are no cases of defence institutions being involved in businesses relating to Greece’s natural resource exploitation [1, 2].
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There are no cases of individual defence personnel being involved in businesses relating to the country’s natural resource exploitation [1, 2].
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This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’ as there is no evidence of defence personnel being involved in businesses relating to the country’s natural resource…
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This indicator is marked ‘Not Applicable’ as there is no evidence of defence institutions’ interests in controlling or financial interests in businesses associated with…
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Organised Crime
Q19
NEI/100
Is there evidence, for example through media investigations or prosecution reports, of a penetration of organised crime into the defence and security sector? If no, is there evidence that the government is alert and prepared for this risk?
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There is no evidence of organised crime in the defence sector [1]. Greek or foreign criminal groups have not been able to penetrate the…
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There is not enough information to score this indicator. Despite Greece having no history of organised crime involvement in the defence and security sector…
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Q20
50/100
Is there policing to investigate corruption and organised crime within the defence services and is there evidence of the effectiveness of this policing?
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The Organised Crime Service and the Counter-Terrorism Service of the Greek Police have in the past been involved in cases involving the Armed Forces,…
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There is not enough information to score this indicator. There is no independent unit within the MoD and the armed services investigating corruption or…
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Though the Organised Crime Service and the Counter-Terrorism Service occasionally investigate cases in the defence sector, this is not regular [1]. There is no…
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Control of Intelligence Services
Q21
13/100
Are the policies, administration, and budgets of the intelligence services subject to effective and independent oversight?
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Little is publicly known regarding the policies, administration and budgets of the three main intelligences services, including the National Intelligence Service (EYP), the Military…
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There is no independent oversight of the intelligence services’ administration and budgets, aside from the superficial and irregular scrutiny of the Committee on Institutions…
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Q22
17/100
Are senior positions within the intelligence services filled on the basis of objective selection criteria, and are appointees subject to investigation of their suitability and prior conduct?
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The criteria for selection of senior positions within the intelligence services are unclear. In August 2019, the new Government changed the law regarding the…
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Senior positions in the intelligence services are primarily appointed by the Executive as a reward [1]. For example, one of the current deputy directors…
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There is little or no investigation of individuals’ suitability or prior conduct. The most recent appointments to the National Intelligence Agency are a striking…
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Export Controls
Q23
75/100
Does the government have a well-scrutinised process for arms export decisions that aligns with Articles 7.1.iv, 11.5, and 15.6 of the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT)?
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Greece signed the ATT in June 2013 and ratified the treaty in May 2016 [1, 2].
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The country has complied with each of the three ATT articles [1, 2, 3].
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Upcoming arms exports are subject to parliamentary debate but Parliament has limited ability to influence decision-making [1, 2]. In 2017, for example, Parliament discussed…
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Lobbying in Defence
Greece has no framework for regulating lobbying activity, since very few firms engage in such activity [1, 2]. Research could find no relevant legislation…
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This indicator is marked Not Applicable as there is no legislation regulating lobbying in the field of defence/security in Greece. Defence officials are not…
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This indicator is marked Not Applicable as Greece has no legislation regulating lobbying and no lobbyist registration system. There is no registration system for…
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This indicator is marked Not Applicable as there is no legislation regulating lobbying of defence institutions in Greece. There is no registration system for…
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