Greek Defense Minister Nikos Dendias:
Greece, ladies and gentlemen, had invested more than €270 billion in its national defense up until 2004.
Against this enormous investment, the contribution of the defense ecosystem—indeed, it is still difficult for me even to call it a defense-industrial association, because it is so limited—to Greece's Gross Domestic Product did not exceed 0.5% the year before last.
Just half of one percent. Twenty to thirty times less than, for example, what tourism contributes.
I repeat: against an investment of €270 billion.
What conclusion must one reach? One must conclude that we did something wrong.
And what are we trying to do now? We are trying to correct our own mistake.