Aktio Air Base school tours spark protests from KKE and KNE

The Communist Party of Greece (KKE) and its youth wing, KNE, have issued a joint statement opposing planned school tours at the Aktio air base in Aetolia-Acarnania. The tours are part of upcoming celebrations for Air Force Day, which will include static aircraft exhibitions and photographic displays.

A central attraction of the event is the E-3AAWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System) aircraft. The KKE and KNE expressed concern regarding the involvement of students, questioning what they are being shown. They characterized the base as a US-NATO facility used for aerial surveillance and combat management within the NATO Airborne Early Warning and Control Force (NAEW&CF).

The organizations noted that Aktio is one of three advanced NATO bases in the southeastern wing, alongside locations in Turkey and Italy. They criticized the military's role in regional conflicts, specifically mentioning the involvement of such surveillance assets in ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East.