The Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas attended the handover ceremony of the remains of the fallen officers who were killed on board the patrol boat PHAETHON, in Nicosia, on 9 January 2018.
This afternoon, the ceremony of their repatriation to Greece will be held in St. Demetrius’ Church at PALASKAS Training Centre.
The Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas addressed the following speech during the handover ceremony of the remains of the fallen officers of PHAETHON, in Cyprus:
“Before starting my speech, please allow me to share with you my thoughts and emotions about attending this ceremony.
What I would like more than ever today is, firstly, to refer personally to the relatives and the families of the fallen officers on board the patrol boat PHAETHON.
Dear relatives,
Today, with national pride, deep emotions and the due respect, we pay tribute to the fallen heroic Greek officers of PHAETHON patrol boat who gained their place in history through their action.
In parallel, we never forget the two Greek officers, Reserve Warrant Officer Vasileios Koukousoulis and Chief Sergeant Athanasios Fotopoulos who set as their life objective “to guard the Thermopylae”, as the poem reads.
For them, Thermopylae was the land of Cyprus, a Greek land.
Today’s ceremony is not just an obligation of the political leadership, but the fulfillment of a moral debt, to pay tribute to those brave men of Greece and Cyprus who gave their lives so generously, with self-denial, for the freedom of Cyprus.
a. Ensign Panagiotis Chrysoulis
b. Petty Officer Spyridon Agathos
c. Petty Officer Nikolaos Panagos
d. Seaman Theodoratos Panagiotis
e. Seaman Kapadoukas Nikolaos
You are not present, but you definitely are not ABSENT.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The Greek soldiers were not killed during exercises, but while executing their national mission, defending their faith and land; this is how Greek women and men give their lives when they fight to protect the territorial integrity and national independence, fulfilling the oath they take when they are recruited.
This sacrifice is a proof of the contract of honour that Greek people sign with their history. In this land – the Greek land – universal ideas have been born.
Democracy, the concept that common goods belong to everybody, the very notion of homeland, the very notion of hospitality, the very notion of respecting what is different, the very notion of human rights.
We do not underestimate the offer of any people in the evolution of humanity. Nor do we concern ourselves with counting who offered more and who offered less.
This is not our concern.
We always fight for our freedom, for human dignity, for our duty towards our homeland. And finally we fight for life.
And we sacrifice our lives for life.
This is our heroes’ concern. They are ordinary people who serve a supreme cause without second thoughts and with decisiveness.
We are here today because these people stood still and loyal to their duty.
Respectful guests,
Everybody knows the historical facts and I would not like to spend time mentioning them once more. I would certainly like to stress a particular moment of these facts and point it out because it reveals us the character of these people.
Dimitris Mitsatsos – 27 years old then – graduate of the Hellenic Naval Academy came to Cyprus in 1964 as a Navy officer, commander of “PHAETHON” and, in parallel, commander of both patrol boats that were at the island, “PHAETHON” and “ARION”.
“Support the land battles from the sea”, this was the order-mission, and the governor and the crew were fighting during the conflict in Mansoura and Kokkina.
It was already known to everybody that this mission of the boat was very difficult due to mechanical problems.
A reconnaissance aircraft – everybody knows where it came from – flies over the heads of the 23 officers of PHAETHON: officer Mitsatsos, two NCOs and 20 conscript seamen.
And this flight of the aircraft was the forerunner of another flight which was meant to be decisive for the fate of the boat.
Despite all the difficulties, adversities and mechanical problems, the crew of “PHAETHON” continued their combat.
Nobody abandoned his post.
This decision was quick and easy. They chose to fight for their country.
History brings changes. What always matters is who narrates it.
But, no matter how many acts of injustice there may be, no matter how many sorrows will be caused, justice will be done in the end.
The families of the heroes were always proud of them; their fellow combatants remember and honour them.
However, for many years, history was not recording them officially. And it is our honour if the Greek and Cypriot governments can change this.
Because the historical memory cannot remind old sorrows, history provides a solid soil and lessons for the present and the future.
I feel honoured because the Ministry of National Defence, has acknowledged in the most official manner, over the last two years, the battle of Tillyria and the participation of PHAETHON patrol boat, and it lifted the confidentiality order that Dimitris Mitsatsos had been given and he can state publicly, officially and without any doubt, what happened to him and his fellow officers.
We ought an apology,
We ask for it with honour and, in this manner, we restore the honour of the state.
We still have many things to do.
We have more wounds to heal, for all those men and women who shed their blood on this land and we will not stop until they are vindicated, until the last missing finds peace and rest.
Dear friends,
The common memory and today’s commemoration unite us and do not allow us to forget the facts.
We have an exceptional legacy of bravery and virtue, like the one of “PHAETHON” with a historical order, to find a solution to the Cyprus issue based on resolutions of the United Nations and finally see a united Cyprus that respects its citizens in the European Union.
This is the message we send today from this place.
This is the message of unity and respect to the principles of defending our homeland and the Greek civilization.
We do not like tense situations. But as Armed Forces, as Ministry of National Defence, as people and, of course, as government, we are ready to defend freedom, sovereignty, democracy and international justice.
At this point, I would like to make a special mention to the Republic of Cyprus, to Cyprus’ Defence Minister, Mr. Fokaides, as well as to Mr. Fotiou who achieved remarkable results through persistent efforts and using science and technology, but the most important thing they achieved was:
to make the souls of the heroes we honour today rest in peace,
to mitigate the pain at the hearts of their relatives,
to keep their sacrifice in our memories.
And we go on…
Thank you”.
