Greece Moves to Tighten Oversight on Foreign Investments Amid Security Concerns

12:03 27/3/2025 - Πηγή: Dikaiologitika

Greece has unveiled plans to bolster its oversight of foreign investments, with the government introducing a bill aimed at aligning the country with European Union regulations and safeguarding national security interests.

The proposed legislation, presented to the Cabinet on Wednesday

by Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis and Deputy Foreign Minister Anastasios Chatzivasileiou, seeks to implement EU Regulation 2019/452. This regulation sets a common framework across the bloc for screening foreign direct investments on grounds of security or public order.

Under the new bill, Greece will establish a national mechanism to vet foreign investments in sectors deemed sensitive to national security or public stability. These include areas such as energy, transportation, digital infrastructure, defense, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, ports and underwater infrastructure, as well as tourism infrastructure located near national borders.

Government officials argue that this move not only ensures Greece’s full compliance with EU law but also acts as a shield against geopolitical risks. By protecting strategic national assets, Greece hopes to enhance its standing as a reliable partner within the EU and NATO, while also positioning itself as a safer and more transparent destination for legitimate international investment.

The urgency and relevance of such a mechanism were underscored by an report published Thursday by Dnews.gr. According to the report, an Iranian arms dealer, Shahrad Rahmani Fard, recently established a company in Greece called Thunder Enterprises Global Single-Member IKE. Registered with a starting capital of €100,000, the company lists an unusually broad range of activities — 50 in total — spanning from stock brokerage and mutual fund management to catering, personnel management, logistics, accounting, and customs services.

Rahmani Fard is the owner of Thunder Defense, a company based in the Philippines that supplies weapons systems, ammunition, protective military gear, vehicles, and operational equipment for land, sea, and air missions. Thunder Defense is also a distributor of various security and communications technologies, representing global brands like Motorola, Hytera, Yaesu, Standard Horizon, and SMP Clarigo. The company has reported dealings with several countries in Southeast Asia, including the Philippines, Cambodia, and Indonesia, and is believed to maintain ties with Pakistan.

Given the nature of Rahmani Fard’s business and the extensive scope of his Greek company’s declared activities, his presence in the country has drawn the attention of authorities. Thunder Enterprises Global is officially registered under the tax authority in Attica, operates under the standard VAT regime, and is authorized to conduct intra-EU transactions — a fact that underscores the potential risk such enterprises might pose in the absence of a proper screening mechanism.

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