On Monday 20 May 2019 the Minister of National Defence Evangelos Apostolakis went to Keritis River, near Alikianos village of the Chania Prefecture, where a Bailey military bridge was installed.

The work was conducted under the supervision of the Construction Studies Unit from HNDGS along with personnel and assets made available by the Army, in cooperation with the Region of Crete, in the context of the Armed Forces’ contribution to the restitution works required after the natural disasters which occurred in Crete, due to intense weather phenomena.

You can read the statement made by the Minister of National Defence to the journalists below:

Journalist’s question: Minister, the bridge at Platanias served its purpose. Now here at Keritis, where the problem is greater due to the fact that it connects two especially productive areas, another bridge was installed and moreover quite swiftly.

E. APOSTOLAKIS: Yes, as you can see, we are here today to observe the installation of the bridge, which as you saw, was promptly conducted, taking three days to be transported and installed by Army personnel, in cooperation with the Region, thus solving, as you also mentioned, a great problem here at the Alikianos area.

We know that it is a very important road, because it connects many villages. We considered it our obligation to assist, since the tourist season draws near, which will create several problems if the way is not open.

I should once more stress that when the various bodies collaborate and there is mutual understanding and support, results are swift and essential. The restitution of damages which occurred due to the great floods was swiftly managed with the Bailey bridges coming from Athens one day after the fall of Keritis Bridge. The bridge at Platanias was first installed and the bridge’s restitution gave the technicians the capability to keep on working and deal with all the issues. When the bridge was restituted, this Bailey was removed and installed here, after a preliminary work conducted by the Region.

We hope that it will cover the needs for as long as it may be required, until the Keritis Bridge has been restituted according to the specifications with which it had been constructed and the shape it had when it was first built at the time of Venizelos, in 1908.

Journalist’s question: Minister, the swiftness of action by the Ministry of National Defence and the other Ministries demonstrates that the Greeks can accomplish great things when they are willing.

E. APOSTOLAKIS: That is the message we are trying to send. That when we want and decide to do something, we are able to achieve it. So we must be self-confident and believe in our selves and the capabilities of this land.

Thank you very much.