Greece’s Army Chief of Staff Cosntantinos Ziazias dropped a “bomb” in the early morning hours of Wednesday. He resigned citing reasons of “ethics and dignity”. Ziazias’ resignation came hours before a government meeting (KYSEA) with top brass from the political and military leadership of the country on military and defence policy. But most important the KYSEA meeting was on promotions and retirements of army officers.
In a caldron of boiling rumors, confirmed and unconfirmed information, Greek media report this morning that general Ziazias resigned after an argument with deputy Defence Minister Panagiotis Karabelas, a retired landforces general. Ziazias allegedly resigned opposing political intervention in officers’ promotions and retirements.
According to Ziazias claims, Karabelas intervened in the lists of officers for promotion and retirement, apparently permanently changing the officers’ names on the list.
Furthermore, there are claims that retired army officers who were suddenly replaced November 2011, just a couple of days before the Papandreou government resigned, were to return to the Army.
Defence Minister Panos Panagiotopoulos dismissed this claim saying “At no point there was talk for the retired army officers to return.” Panagiotopoulos announced the name of the new Army Chief of Staff: Constantinos Gkinis.
New Landforces Chief of Staff: General Constantinos Gkinis
Ziazias resignation background
Lieutenant General and Land Forces Chief of Staff Constantinos Ziazias submitted his resignation at 2 a.m. Wednesday. Ziazias stated in his resignation letter that it was for “reasons that touch on ethics and dignity, both his own and of the army.”
An army statement on Ziazias resignation did not elaborate and first no government officials had any comment on the issue.
According to defence news portal OnAlert, General Ziazias spoke to members of the Land Forces General Staff at 8:00 a.m. and explained the reasons for his resignation. It looks as if he did not agree with the promotion procedures of the military personnel and the political intervention.
Ziazias briefed the officers on what had happened previous to his resignation and pointed out two main issues, expressing his opposition to the procedures:
• Lists with officers’s names: “I was invited at 2 a.m. to retrieve the list of names of officers for promotions and retirements. I can not accept such interference in my work.”
• Interventions in the process of promotion in the Greek Armed Forces: He said he could accept this under any circumstances
• Despite efforts by Defence Minister P. Panagiotopoulos general Ziazias would not reconsider his resignation. “I can not be instructed by anyone. I am military and I know my job well.”
• His resignation was submitted with respect to “the army staff, on grounds the army’s ethics and dignity and honour.”
Greek media report that the argument with deputy Defence Minister has been going on for days. And that last night’s conflict was the straw that led Ziazias to take the resignation decision.
The Politics, the Parties and The Army
General Ziazias was appointed nine months ago, just before the previous Socialist government stepped down on November 17, 2011. Then Defence Minister Panos Beglitis had caused reactions in the Greek Armed Forces as he changed the four top military chiefs and 14 other high-ranking officers in a surprise move on 1. November 2011, five days beforePapandreou government resigned. Belgitis replaced them with top officers “ideologically” close to socialist PASOK, even bypassing the army hierarchy. Nine army officers were sent to retirement so that Ziazias could get the post of the Army chief of staff.
Leakages to the press at that time claimed that Beglitis’ move was justified in order to “avoid a military coup.” But many thought it was more – in fact: less – than this. It was a political game to justify the need for a referendum proposed by PM Papandreou and rejected by Merkel and Sarkozy in Cannes.
“Constantinos Ziazias was a product of Belgitis’ political coup. Ziazias is considered as especially close to the old PASOK of George Papandreou even though he is a good army offcier.
Papandreou ordered Beglitis to take the heads of 18 high-ranking officers so that he could claim in Cannes that he wanted a referendum in order to avoid a coup by the Greek armed Forces.”
This development [Ziazias resignation] justifies those who demanded the immediate removal of the whole or part of the military leadership what was chosen as a product of the Papandreou-Beglitis coup. When the promotions have “political party criteria” it is obvious that they would create problems on the first occasion.” (Defence Net)
Meanwhile the PASOK of Papandreou has been practically dissolved. It looks as if PASOK-leader and Smaras’ government partner Evangelos Venizelos has other, most important issues to deal with than to get actively involved in the army promotions and retirements. Venizelos has broke his ties with Papandreou and he tries to bring up a new socialist party.
Changes of government in Greece are routinely followed by new top military appointments, a “tradition” started in 2009 by Nea Dimocratia Defence Minister Evangelos Meimarakis. The logic behind this was “to create a party mechanism and control the Armed Forces even if the government falls”. PASOK followed this practice and according to Defence reporters, ND wanted to do the same again. And allegedly to bring back to the Armed Forces, the top brasses who were replaced last November.
According to Zougla.gr, a military source told the news portal that “the resignation was not a surprise” and claimed that “more resignations are expected.”
Socialist Papandreou’s socialist government left stirring the Greek Armed Forces. Samaras’ conservative coalition government started with a new stirring of the Greek Armed Forces. Hm…
Meanwhile, there is a “war” against Ziazias with some sharply criticizing him for getting together army officers and talking to them in the plenary hall of the Army after his resignation.
PS I suppose, Ziazias did know indeed the procedure of the army promotions and retirements. Even my cat knows it…
Apart from the political costs (imagine how corrupt this makes Greece look in the eyes of the world), how much will these shenanigans cost the taxpayers? What madness.
oh yes, they have to have new carts-visite printed.
Damn. I wanted to lessen the burden on the Greek taxpayers’ by alerting you folks about a service which offers FREE cards (ok, there’s adversing on the back, of course), but it turns out they don’t print in Greek letters.
Sorry. How about presenting Chinese cards to the generals?
😀
Or German ones, sponsored by Siemens, ThyssenKrupp, FerroStahl, and Co as a thank you for all the orders received over the years, needed or not?
From the report at eKathimerini:
“The Government Council of Foreign Affairs and National Defense (KYSEA) was reportedly scheduled to discuss the procurement of 700 reinforced military vehicles from the US during a session on Wednesday.”
They want to buy even more military hardware NOW? What for? How to pay for that? Are they living in cloud-cuckooland?
it may be the US donation we reported some months ago. sorry, no time to check it right now.
“cloud-cuckooland” That is a pretty good one, I’ll have to remember it!
the words procurement usually mean it involves paying for them….
But this is Greece we are talking about…
I think KTG is right, this is the second hand junk Uncle Sam send over, loads of people carriers and some 700 Abrams tanks. And Greece didn’t even have to pay for the transport, Hoorah!
I hear there is a thriving trade in scrap metal with Bulgaria… Right place for this stuff, scrapyard.
Ephilant & Linda Knox
About 400-500 M1A1 Abrams MBTs (Main battle Tanks) and hundreds of M113 A1 APCs (Armored Personnel Carriers) and M901 A1 ITVs (Improved TOW Vehicles) are going to be transferred from the USA to Greece free of charge. Greece will have to pay the vehicle’s transportation costs, € 5-7 million, infrastructure related costs and to arm the M1A1s with 120 mm shells. Although, the vehicles have been inspected by Greek technicians and most of them found to be in satisfactory condition, it’s quite possible that they will need to be refurbished by Greek defense companies. Refurbished tanks incur lower operational and support costs and report higher operational readiness rates. The 20 year old Abrams tanks are going to replace 390 M-48 A5 MOLF (Modular Laser Fire Control System) type tanks which are more than 50 years old. A number of M1A1s will be used as sources for spare parts.
The transfer agreement also includes older M1 tanks with 105 mm main guns to be used for crew training and target practice, a number of fuel trucks, repair and tank recovery vehicles, 3,000 HEAT (High Explosive Anti Tank) type 120 mm shells and tank simulators.
The low cost procurement of surplus armored vehicles will among others: 1) Maintain existing jobs and/or create new ones in the Greek defense industry, 2) Enable the Greek Army to retire old, maintenance-intensive, expensive to operate MBTs approaching the end of their operational lives, 3) Dramatically improve the capabilities of many Greek armored brigades, 4) Further enhance the close ties between the Greek and the US Armies, 5) Standardize the main gun and the munitions of MBTs serving in armored brigades based in mainland Greece, 6) Benefit Greek defense companies participating in a future upgrade of the M1A1 with more advanced electronics, an APS (Active Protection Suite) and improved armor protection, 7) Standardize the types of APCs and anti-tank armored vehicles operated by the Greek Army, 8) Mechanize more Greek infantry battalions, 9) Utilize a number of these vehicles as sources for spare parts, and 10) Serve as an effective deterrent against the Turkish expansionist policies.
There is indeed no curing insanity…
Whatever the circumstances around this farce: a general that says this has to be replace ASAP in any democracy.
But comming back on the issue at hand: having Greek politicians playing their dirty games also with national security like this is asking for a court martial.
Politicians should mind their own business, they should not get involved in changing the ranks of the armed forces.
The military knows its job and people better and should appoint according to the individuals qualities and skills.
Greece should only have the right people for the right job. That is one of the biggest problems in Greece to the present.
Every time a new party is elected, the managers of the public service, head teachers at schools and hospitals are replaced by managers from the winning party. Please leave the the management to the people who do the job right. Not ass lickers of the new election winners. That is another reason why Greece is in the shit it is in now.
And i thought elections were suppose to be secret but it seems that everyone knows who everyone voted for.
Just leave the right people in the job.