The political and military leadership attended the cutting of the New Year cake, which took place today at the Ministry of National Defence.

In his address, the Minister of National Defence Mr. Dimitris Avramopoulos wished “2012 to be a year of optimism, uplift and reorganization. However, it still is – and we must be honest – the most difficult year our country, our society, our families, our people have ever gone through.”

Mr. Avramopoulos underlined that “what we need is mutual understanding, mutual accountability, national accord and, mainly, our common decision to bring our country up and forward.”

The Minister also wished “strength during these hard times, unity to our country, cohesion and love to your families, health above all and, at the level we can, we will be close to you, to solve all those problems which de facto emerge due to this difficult circumstance we are experiencing.”

The Alternate Minister Mr. Ragoussis mentioned in his address: “I would also like to wish you to continue your course with the dutifulness, but mainly the devotion I personally, as well as all of us, had the opportunity to discover during this brief period we have been with you. That you, and all men and women in the Armed Forces, proceed all these years, especially during these difficult times our country goes through.”

The Deputy Minister Mr. Spiliopoulos underlined that he is “convinced that the Armed Forces will really support this effort and will mark our country’s success. And that is because they create a feeling of security to the Greek citizen, which is necessary for him to work in order for us all to come out of the crisis”.