The Alternate Minister of National Defence Fotis Kouvelis accompanied by the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Nikolaos Tsounis, attended on Friday 25 May 2018 the oath-taking ceremony of the newly recruited Sailors of the 2018 Β’ Enlistment Series at the ΚΑΝΕLLΟPΟULΟS Naval Base. Members of the Supreme Naval Council as well as relatives and friends of the Sailors also attended the oath-taking ceremony.

The Alternate Minister of National Defence made an address to the attendees and among other things he stressed that:

“With the oath you took you also made the promise owed to everyone who stood their ground and put up a great fight for the higher ideals of our national independence and freedom. You are called upon to fulfill the expectations and trust shown to you by all of the Greek people. You have to be proud of that, as are your parents, as is the whole Greek people for you”. And he went on: “Do not forget that you serve with the members of the Armed Forces, the Hellenic Republic, the Nation and the higher principles and values which have preserved Greece strong and free. You serve in the Hellenic Navy, an arm which has never lowered the flag, an arm which is proud, vigorous and resolute”.
He also stressed that: “Greece is a predominantly peaceful country and wishes to have good relations with its neighbours. However, we are also a country which will not surrender neither relinquish our national sovereign rights. Our Armed Forces are the enduring deterrence force and defender of our national sovereignty”.