Defence Minister Nikos Dendias on Wednesday co-signed a letter of intent (LoI), for the creation of a Harmonized Military Mobility Corridor, with the defence ministers of Romania, Angel Tilvar and Bulgaria, Atanas Zaprianov.

As announced, the signing took place on the sidelines of the NATO Summit in Washington, in the works of which Dendias is participating, accompanying Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

With the signing of the letter, the three countries highlighted their interest in the creation of a military mobility corridor, which aims, among others, to promote cooperation between Greece, Bulgaria and Romania within the framework of the joint NATO Administrative Support network, the announcement said.

The letter of intent referred to road and railway corridors and to the upgrading of the infrastructure and networks in areas such as Thessaloniki and Alexandroupolis.
The support is aimed at the smooth and timely deployment of allied military forces, while implementing uniform regulations and procedures to facilitate cross-border military cooperation in movements, the statement added.

The letter of intent also aimed to coordinate the actions of the contracting states regarding Military Mobility and create a network of routes between the participants by harmonising them in four areas:

1. Cross-border movement
2. Coordination of the means of transportation used
3. Interoperability and information
4. Infrastructure development

The importance of Military Mobility was also underlined in the Joint Declaration of the Prime Ministers of Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, signed on October 9, 2023 in Euxinograd, the announcement pointed out.

The creation of the corridor also follows the signing of the letter of intent for the extension of the NATO Pipeline Network to the Eastern Wing of the Alliance, by the Defence Ministers of Greece, Bulgaria and Romania, in October 2023. It also contributes to the strengthening of the deterrence capability of the eastern wing of the Alliance and is added to a series of actions that upgrade the role of regions, such as Thrace, in maintaining stability and peace in the region, the statement said.

Following Dendias’ proposal, the three defence ministers will hold a trilateral meeting in the autumn of 2024 in Alexandroupolis, during which the best ways to implement and realise the intentions set forth in the letter of intent will be discussed.

Additionally, early on Thursday (Athens time), Dendias attended a dinner hosted by the US Secretary of Defence, Lloyd J. Austin III, for the Ministers of Defence of the member states of the North Atlantic Alliance, who are attending the NATO Summit in Washington.