By Telecompaper.com
The Greek government remains reluctant to embrace Huawei 5G technology at the present moment, although pilot programmes are already underway in Greek cities, according to local publication Greekreporter.com. Analysts say US President Donald Trump expressed his concerns about this matter to Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during their meeting in Washington earlier in January.
Digital Governance Minister Kyriakos Pierakakis explained that Athens is waiting for the European Commission to make its final recommendation for 5G networks. Speaking to Skai TV, Pierakakis said that the reluctance shown by the Greek government is due to issues of “national security and protection of the country’s critical infrastructure.”
Both the US and the EU have expressed concerns in recent years over China’s growing economic power in Greece. Huawei’s 5G technology is not yet used in Greece. Huawei ran a pilot 5G programme in Kalamata together with Greek telecom provider Wind Hellas in the summer of 2019. However, in December the Kalamata City Council decided to suspend the programme due to concerns related to public health.
In November 2019, US representatives in Greece warned local authorities that the eventual use of Huawei equipment in Greece’s 5G networks will put the Atlantic alliance at risk.
