As soon as the European Union ends its trade embargo with Russia, Greece will seek to obtain a license to manufacture Kalashnikov assault rifles in Patra, Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said Tuesday.

Kammenos insisted there is no prospect of Greece’s defense industry shutting down and that, instead, production would pick up.

“We are ready to begin manufacturing Kalashnikovs in Patra as soon as the Russian embargo is over,” he said, adding that with NATO approval, Greece would be able to sell the rifles to any member of the transatlantic alliance interested in purchasing them.

Kammenos also said that the government would table a bill allowing surplus military equipment currently in storage to be sold via tenders.