Lithuania and Greece are allies with shared security interests, Vice Minister of National Defence E. Kerza says
“Lithuania and Greece are members of both, the European Union and NATO, also, we are borderline countries that have numerous shared security interests, regardless of the nearest threats,” Vice Minister of National Defence Edvinas Kerza said during his visit to Athens on February 11-14. Vice Minister E. Kerza and Director of the National Cyber Security Centre Rytis Rainys met with Alternate Minister of National Defence of Greece Panagiotis Rigas, Head of the National Cyber Security Authority at the Ministry of Digital Policy Dr. Leandros Maglaras, and representatives of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs and the European Union Agency for Network Information Security (ENISA) headquartered in Greece.
At a discussion on bilateral and multilateral cooperation opportunities with Alternate Minister of National Defence P. Rigas Vice Minister E. Kerza pointed out that cyber security was one of the areas where a closer cooperation between Lithuania and Greece would benefit both sides.
“I have presented progress made on the Lithuanian-led EU cyber force development project and invited Greece to become a member of the initiative,” E. Kerza said. Currently the project Lithuania leads has 9 members EU countries and 4 more EU countries as observers, including Greece.
At the meeting with ENISA Head Udo Helmbrecht Vice Minister of National Defence E. Kerza presented the consolidation in cyber security area ongoing in Lithuania, and the project for developing EU cyber response force and mutual assistance in the EU Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) framework.
The Cyber Rapid Response Teams and Mutual Assistance in Cyber Sceurity Initiate is one of the most advanced in practical terms among the 17 projects approved by EU members in late 2017 under PESCO framework.
The Permanent Structured Cooperation (PESCO) is an instrument laid out in the Treaty of Lisbon, for deepening the cooperation in security and defence area for those EU member states that have military capabilities meeting higher criteria and are bound by greater commitments.
Photo credits: Ministry of National Defence of Lithuania, Ministry of National Defence of Greece
