The Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos attended the change of command ceremony of the outgoing Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff General Georgios Blioumis and his successor Lieutenant General Themistoklis Bourolias which was held at the premises of the Hellenic Air Force Academy, Tatoi, on Tuesday, 1 February 2022.

The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias, the Chief of HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros, the General Secretary of the Ministry of National Defence Mr. Antonios Oikonomou, the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Charalambos Lalousis, the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Stylianos Petrakis. It was also attended by the Chiefs of the Security Services, MPs, representatives of the Local and Regional Authorities.

The Minister of National Defence delivered the following statement:

“Ladies and Gentlemen,

I would like to make two remarks and say that this day is somehow strange, because I feel pleased and sad at the same time. I am sad because General Georgios Blioumis leaves his position as Chief of HAFGS and, at the same time, I am pleased that Lieutenant General Themistoklis Bourolias takes office as Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff.

What I constantly feel however is that I appreciate the work of both of them, the cooperation with both of them and, of course, the tangible results of this work and cooperation.

Particularly, with the outgoing Chief, with whom we had a close cooperation on a daily basis, I can say that – as you also heard during his speech – the work produced is important, it upgrades the capabilities of the Hellenic Air Force in assets and in personnel, as well. Because this was the double axis which we followed, in order to meet, very quickly, the requirements both in assets and personnel. I think that we achieved this to a satisfactory degree, but not satisfactorily enough to let us rest and feel that we achieved something so important that we do not need to continue. There are more things that must be done and will be done.

I thank the Chief, from the depths of my heart, for his precious help which proved decisive in times when we try to promote very difficult – tight I might say – schedules, programmes, sub-programmes regarding armaments for the Hellenic Air Force to the Armament Committee. He retires, not only having a full tenure, because he served the maximum of his tenure, but also having a full work because he contributed with a very significant work which really sets the base, as he said, for the next day of the Hellenic Air Force. And what several people might not appreciate, but the people who are present here in this hall, the family of the Hellenic Air Force, surely appreciate is that this investment in the future of the Hellenic Air Force, in the manpower of the Hellenic Air Force, through the establishment of the International Flight Training Centre in Kalamata which is underway, is probably the most underestimated, yet the most significant contribution, all these years on the basis of his work. In the future we will have more, for everything that is being implemented. I would like once more to thank him very much.

I would like also to wish good luck and the best of success to the new Chief. He has all the conditions to become an excellent new Chief and I am certain that our cooperation will also be impeccable. I would also like to say, in concluding, that this work that is done is not the work of one person, but of a team of people of the Political and Military leadership of the Ministry of National Defence.

The Political Leadership, the Deputy Minister, the General Secretary, the former Deputy Minister who was also absolutely committed to the work and the mission, and of course the personnel of the Military Leadership, the Chief of HNDGS, through his decisive contribution to the overall planning, the Chiefs of the General Staffs with their excellent cooperation, form a team that really worked and continues working. And I reiterate it, this team is inspired by a feeling of lack of satisfaction, according to which whatever has been done, is not enough and there are still many things to be done, because, at the end of the day, the point is not to just spend your time, but how to take advantage of the limited time you have been given.

Again, thank you very much, Chief, good luck. Have a successful tenure, Chief”.