Piraea–Euclean Community relations
Template:KylarisRecognitionArticle
 | |
 Euclean Community |
 Piraea |
|---|---|
| Diplomatic mission | |
| Delegation of the EC, Alikianos | Embassy of Piraea, Kesselbourg |
| Envoy | |
| Ambassador Albert Luijendijk | Ambassador Petrina Scafiade |
Piraea–Euclean Community relations are foreign relations between the Republic of Piraea and the intergovernmental organisation, the Euclean Community. Although Piraea is not a member of the Euclean Community, the two have held extensive relations since the return of democracy in Piraea. With the aim of becoming a member of the Community, Piraea signed its first association agreement in 2003. Important advances have been made since 2017, with the former President of the Euclean Community Alexis Walker having led several contacts with Alikianos.
Overview
Following the return of democracy in Piraea, the country was faced with the challenge of rebuilding its foreign relations. Between 1985 and 1993, the first socialists governments of Piraea sought to align Piraea with the AIS, delaying Piraea's assertion in initiating dialogue with the Euclean Community.
The election of Konstantinos Kondoulis in 1993 was decisive in aligning Piraea with the Euclean Community, forming the first Anastas Pacts to open up the road for accession. In 1994, Kondulis signed with the Etrurian president, Nicolò Grassi, a friendship pact between the two nations, recognising the Etrurian government in Tarpeia and granting Piraeans free movement along the portion of land; the agreement and solution of territorial disputes between the two nations carved the path to Piraea's early membership of ECDTO in 1996, following a referendum conducted a year before. In 2003, the country submitted its first association agreement and a year later, it was granted the candidate status after the Premier Stefanos Xanthos submitted the formal application. However, between 2005 and 2009, poor advances were made; Piraea made it a common goal among all political sectors in 2009 to join alongside Etruria and Emessa.
However, the Etrurian negative to continue the process following the 2016 referendum concluded the EC plans of enlargement. A year later, the 2017 Piraean political crisis also halted Piraea's aspirations, which were going to be resumed a year later by the Panopoulos government and Alexis Walker. As of 2022, the country holds 2024 as the year of accession, and is believed to have been advancing on reforms concerning the EC Chapters in relation to the judiciary, Human Rights and economy.
Defence
Piraea is a member of the Euclean Common Defense Treaty Organisation since 1996. Its accession to the organisation was formalised after years of negotiations, political debate in Piraea and a referendum that concluded with 56.4% of the population voting in favour of joining the miltiary alliance and re-aligning the country's foreign policy.
The accession of Piraea to the ECDTO was subject to the solution of the territorial disputes with Etruria in Tarpeia, whose claim for jurisdiction was dropped out by Piraea in 1994. The treaty between the two nations happened in the framework of the Anastas Pacts, a series of pacts signed in 1993 between the People's Party and the PSEE, to draft a future Piraea joining Euclean institutions. The subsequent referendum in 1996 counted with the opposition of most of the left and several sectors of the centre-left, although the official position of the PSEE —the party did not campaign neither in favour or against the referendum— played a crucial role in the positive outcome.
Since then, Piraea has had an active role in ECDTO operations. The naval base of Hersonissos–Naval Support Activity, Sitia is the largest naval base of the Piraean Navy and counts with a regular ECDTO presence, being also one of the largest of the organisation in the Acheloian Sea.
Referendums
1995 ECDTO referendum
| Piraean ECDTO membership referendum | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In your view, should Piraea become a member of the ECDTO subject to the terms agreed by the national Government? | |||||||||||||||||||
| Date | March 4, 1995 | ||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||
Yes
No
The Government considers it convenient, for national interests, for Piraea to become a member of the Euclean Common Defense Treaty Organisation (ECDTO), and agrees that such permanence be established in the following terms: (1) Non-incorporation into ECDTO's military structure; (2) Prohibition on the installation, storage or entry of nuclear weapons on Piraean territory; (3) The respect of a cuota of foreign army officials stationed in Piraean territory. In your view, should Piraea become a member of the ECDTO subject to the terms agreed by the national Government?
After the celebration of the Anastas Pacts, the Premier Konstantinos Kondulis presented the possibility of a referendum to ask the population about the future of a Piraea member of the common Euclean defence. Prior to the election of Kondulis as premier, most of the political left showed negative views about the ECDTO and the PSEE leader and former premier, Theodora Procopiou, had campaigned against it. In the centre-right, the People's Party and the defunct Centre Union exposed a clear Euclophilic position in favour of Piraea's entry to the organisation.
However, in 1995, public opinion showed immensely favourable to vote in favour of Piraea becoming a member of ECDTO, and the PSEE, fter having negotiated the conditions of entry during the Anastas Pacts, announced that it was going to defend the state's position. The parties of the left, united under the slogan first presented by the Democratic Socialists —«ECDTO, εξαρχής, όχι; ECDTO, from the beginning, no»—, campaigned against the government position with a large portion of former socialists that left the party; the PSEE, fearing the possibility of a major electoral loss, decided to not campaign. The People's Party and the Centre Union joined in a common slogan —«Στο συμφερον της Πιραεάς; In interest of Piraea»— that proved controversial for its similarity with the question asked to voters.
The reasons for the change of opinion of the PSEE have not been clear since then, but many argue that, during the Anastas Pacts, the socialists saw in the ECDTO entry a way of democratising the military forces, as well as a previous step to further Euclean integration. Pressure from Euclean nations on the People's Party has also seen as a factor in how the party and government aggressively campaigned in favour of the positive option.
Advertisement in favour of Piraea's entry
Advertisement against of Piraea's entry
Current status of the process
Piraea maintains its position of becoming an Euclean Community member state by 2024; in its process it has opened all the chapters and enjoys of a relatively wide support from current EC member states. The Euclean Community has currently voiced its concern voer the Piraean situation in the acquis of Right of Establishment & Freedom To Provide Services and the ones related to the situation of the judiciary and its independence, where it expects several reforms to improve the situation.