During an interview with the Euroactiv portal, the official warned that North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) tanks weighing up to 70 tons would get stuck in tunnels during an eventual mobilization towards the borders with Russia.

The European Commission will allocate 17 billion euros to modernize 500 strategic infrastructure projects, creating four military corridors that would allow the movement of troops in hours or days instead of weeks.

Among the main obstacles, Tsitsikostas cited outdated bridges incapable of supporting military weight, tunnels that are too narrow and a border bureaucracy that slows down transportation.

The plans, coordinated with NATO, are being kept secret for security reasons.

This initiative complements the allied commitment to raise defense spending to five percent of GDP.

jdt/jav/mem/amp