The Alternate Minister of National Defence Fotis Kouvelis accompanied by the Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General Christos Christodoulou, attended the oath taking ceremony of newly recruited airmen at the 124th Basic Training Wing, in Tripoli, on Friday, 1 June 2018.
The Alternate Minister of National Defence stated the following, among other things:
“Dear Airmen, this day is special for you and your families. The oath you took shortly before, is the official beginning of an important period in your lives. It is a period of service to our country’s National Defence.
As of today, together with the career personnel of the Armed Forces, you are called on to serve the highest mission of the branch you have been assigned to, and respond to Greek people’s expectations and confidence.
I propose you to actively participate in your training throughout your military service, to utilise the knowledge you are offered and gain skills which will help you in your civilian life later.
In any case, the military service is a supreme obligation. This is why you should all feel proud”.
He also added: “The Armed Forces today, as an inseparable part of the Greek people, participate actively and effectively to the effort of restructuring this country. Despite the significant budget cuts, the morale of the Armed Forces’ personnel or their power has not declined.
On the contrary, even today, Greece is a pillar of stability and security in a volatile and insecure environment in the wider area. We are working methodically, to consolidate an environment of confidence, mutual understanding, cooperation and peace in the wider area of South-eastern Mediterranean”.
The Alternate Minister of National Defence stated after the ceremony:
“I am attending the oath taking ceremony of new seamen. I ought to underline my satisfaction and everybody’s satisfaction of the excellent training and the high morale our young soldiers have when they fulfil their duties. On this occasion, I would like to say that our country is a peaceful country. It wants to promote peace, as well as cooperation in the wider area.
At the same time, we state clearly and explicitly: we have a capable deterrence force fully devoted to its duty, to defend our national sovereignty rights. We do not claim anything from anyone, apart from what already belong to us. But we cannot allow anybody to dispute our national sovereignty rights, as they have been set out clearly in the International Treaties and International Law in general”.
When asked about the talks regarding the name of FYROM, he answered:
“This case is underway; it would be an unjustified haste to prejudge the result of this discussion and negotiation. What I wish to say is that our country represented by the government, wants a solution, for the benefit of our country and the wider area. I would like to stress that what our country has set as necessary conditions, guarantee an effective result if they are accepted by the neighbouring country as well”.
