“I am very pleased to be here with you at the Artillery School, so as to celebrate with you the Day of the Patron Saint of the Artillery Corps Saint Barbara; a day of remembrance and honour, not only for the hundreds of Artillerists who actively participated in the nation’s struggles, but also for all of you contemporary Artillerists who, quietly yet worthily, continue their task.

Before anything else, I refer to the human factor since, as our history has proven that the Artillery Corps excelled in the Nation’s struggles, from the Balkan Wars until the Cyprus’ tragedy, not thanks to the weapons’ perfection, but thanks to the Officers and soldiers who stood out due to their excellent military and scientific knowledge on their subject-matter. Personnel and conscripts who utterly honoured the artillerists’ motto, “Power through Knowledge”, and were a model not only for the Army, but for the entire society of that time.

This ascertainment, which applies to the entire Armed Forces, is the proof that our country remains standing and dignified, that it had the power to defend national rights and ensure stability in the broader region of the Eastern Mediterranean.

Ladies and Gentlemen, Greece disposes a potent and efficient deterrence system.

I recognise that in this critical circumstance for the nation, you hold up the flag. The personnel, at all levels of hierarchy and at all corners of the Greek land, from Evros until Kastelorizo island, that I had the opportunity to visit last week, offers its best self for the country, an offer we all respect and recognise.

Moreover, I know that you contributed to the effort for national reform without complaints, and you endured with dignity the wages cuts that have been imposed. This attitude honours you and this is why I personally, as well as the entire political and military leadership, we want to be helpful and we aim at the right and necessary level of reciprocation to you and, mainly, to your families as well.

The country needs stability and efficiency, beyond the logic and relevance of political parties, beyond political and ideological disaccord.

In this effort, the Armed Forces are once more a model. They represent Greece of faithfulness and duty. They operate with respect to the structures and institutions, essentially, promoting an attitude of unity and conscientiousness.

The Armed Forces can go beyond their traditional role, also in this circumstance, broadening the limits of the model they present. They can be a cell of production, technology and innovation, utilising their human resources which are of excellent quality and education.

If the time we will have is enough, my intention is to create and present a concrete road map that will transform the Armed Forces from a mere consumer to a significant producer of innovation and technology.

Ladies and Gentlemen, we do not have to reinvent the wheel. We just have to make use of successful international standards and of the brilliant personnel we dispose.

The defence of traditions perfectly combines with the opportunity of promoting the personnel’s creative powers through production, innovation and technology. This serves the meeting of our own needs, which are enormous due to Greece’s geopolitical position and to the amplitude of our potential enemies.  

Therefore, it covers the need for national survival, yet it also presents the opportunity to offer to Greek foreign policy the mechanisms to project its strength, not only by using material means, but also through national knowledge and know-how.

So, allow me to congratulate you on the occasion of today’s celebration, and to encourage you to develop your task, remembering history and your predecessors’ struggles and sacrifices.

I hope that Saint Barbara will stand by your spirit and guns and offer to you and your families health and strength.