The Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos attended today, Friday 4 February 2022, the Handover-Takeover ceremony of the Chief of the Hellenic Tactical Air Force (HTAF) held in Larissa Air Base, during which the Chief/HAFGS Lieutenant General (HAF) Themistoklis Bourolias handed over the Command to Lieutenant General (HAF) Georgios Fassoulas.
The ceremony was attended by the Chief/HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros, the MOD General Secretary Mr. Antonios Oikonomou, the 1st Army Commander Lieutenant General Petros Demestihas, the Commander in Chief of Hellenic Fleet Vice Admiral Panagiotis Lymperis HN, Higher Officers of the Hellenic Air Force, the Commanders of HTAF Units, delegations of Officers and NCOs, honorary HAFGS and HTAF Chiefs, as well as delegations of Retired Officers’ Unions.
It was also attended by the MPs Mr. Maximos Harakopoulos, Christos Kellas and Stergiani Biziou, the Governor of Thessaly region Mr. Konstantinos Agorastos, His Eminence Metropolitan of Larissa and Tyrnavos Mr. Ignatios, and delegations of local authorities.
After the ceremony, the Minister of National Defence made the following statement:
“It was with pleasure that we, the political and military leadership of the Ministry of National Defence, attended today the handover- takeover ceremony of the Chief of Tactical Air Force, here in Larissa.
The HTAF is the “spearhead” of the Hellenic Air Force at Command level, and what I need to say once more is that we continue the struggle for an even more battleworthy Air Force. There is no satisfaction point; not is there a saturation point. Lastly, many have been done. I believe that the Hellenic Air Force has been drastically enforced in the past few years, yet the effort is ongoing.
The Command of Hellenic Tactical Air Force is by our side in this collective effort, bearing tangible results; we feel it, and this is the way it is. I wish to the new HTAF Chief the best of strength and luck in his new tenure! Of course, the Chief handing over is now the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, so my wishes for the best of strength in his tenure are extended to him as well.
We are proud and we are sure that the Hellenic Air Force is in good hands“.
