Greece’s government is preparing targeted revisions to a sweeping reform bill on the future structure of the armed forces, as the legislation heads for debate in the plenary session of the Hellenic Parliament.
Closing deliberations in the relevant parliamentary committee, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced that the government would introduce “changes for the better” during the final discussion of the bill, officially titled the “Transition Roadmap of the Armed Forces to a New Era.”
Clearer Paths for Noncommissioned Officers
At the heart of the planned adjustments is a sensitive issue within the military ranks: career progression for non-commissioned officers who aspire to become commissioned officers.
“No one claims this bill is set in stone,” Dendias said, signaling flexibility. He explained that the government will outline specific mechanisms to ease concerns among non-commissioned officers, including clearly defined pathways for promotion. According to the minister, the bill already foresees two distinct routes, but forthcoming changes will also introduce explicit percentage-based guarantees.
The goal, he said, is to ensure that eligible personnel do not feel that “the state is treating them unfairly,” while still preserving the broader reform agenda.
Balancing Fairness and Structural Reform
Dendias stressed that these concessions would not undermine what he described as a pressing need to rationalize a system that currently contains “elements not only of absurdity, but of risk for the country’s future.”
The reforms, according to the government, aim to modernize the armed forces’ personnel structure and meet the demands of the 21st century, at a time of growing uncertainty in international relations.
Bakoyannis Raises Concerns on Senior Cadets
The debate was preceded by an intervention from ruling party lawmaker Dora Bakoyannis, who urged the political leadership to pay special attention to older cohorts of non-commissioned officer schools, particularly those who entered before 2013.
Bakoyannis also called for a re-examination of provisions that would allow for only one additional rank of promotion compared with what is outlined in the bill’s first annex, suggesting that adjustments may be needed to avoid disadvantaging experienced personnel.
Parliament Has the Final Say
Responding to the concerns, Dendias emphasized the primacy of Parliament in the legislative process. He said he expected a “constructive exchange of views” in the plenary session and reaffirmed his availability to lawmakers.
“The parliamentary body is the supreme judge,” he said, noting that while there is a separation of powers, they are not equal in weight when it comes to lawmaking. Ultimate responsibility, however, remains with the government.
National Interest Over Political Cost
From the outset of his remarks, Dendias framed the bill as a political choice driven by necessity rather than convenience. He acknowledged that the reforms may upset groups traditionally aligned with the governing New Democracy party but argued that the national interest must come first.
“What matters more than political survival is the interest of the country,” he said, adding that the status quo can no longer continue.
A Changing International Environment
Dendias also placed the reform in a broader geopolitical context, arguing that it comes at a time when “the rules of international law are no longer the standard mode of state behavior,” as they should be.
Greece, he said, cannot afford inaction. Either the government is misreading reality entirely, or the situation, which has been shaped by consecutive governments including all major political parties in Greece, is so serious that maintaining the current framework is no longer viable.
The government confirmed that New Democracy will vote in favor of the bill. The opposition, by contrast, has announced it will vote against it in its entirety.
