Welcoming the New Year after a difficult, yet productive year, I address you and your families my cordial and warmest wishes of health, progress and prosperity.

In the name of the Greek State and Democracy, I express to you my gratitude for the important services which you offer to the country and to the Greek nationals with a high sense of responsibility and whenever needed with self-sacrifice in every part of the Greek territory.

Through your every day work, your significant national contribution, despite the difficulties and the problems you are facing, over the past year you fulfilled your mission as it is provided for by the constitution and in the name of the Greek people in the best possible manner; and thus you proved that Greek nationals can and should feel safe and secure.

Through the multi-faceted activities you performed with an absolute success, you demonstrated the battle-worthiness of the Armed Forces and the qualities of their personnel and you received the admiration and esteem of both the Greek people and of our country’s friends and allies for one more year.

In a fluid and volatile geopolitical environment, with great difficulty, surrounding volatility and national commitments, and despite the financial crisis, we preserved our defence capability and our force of deterrence. Thanks, exactly, to this determination, we proved that Greece can respond to the strategic role which is assigned by its geographical position, history and culture.             

Your recent decisive contribution to saving hundreds of passengers on board a ship sailing in the Adriatic Sea, with your effectiveness, your devotion to your duty and your self-sacrifice under the most adverse conditions, is one more proof of the wider social dimension of the work you perform.

By performing your historic and national role, loyal to the tradition of your arms, working with unselfishness and faith, defending our national rights, you represent the Greece of honour, eagerness and dignity that stands and will always stand still.

Women and Men of the Armed Forces,

I am proud of you, because you are a healthy cell of the Greek society, you incarnate our national ideals and you work under democratic principles and professionalism. Your efforts are reflected on the reinforcement of the national security and they are accepted with acknowledgement and esteem by the Greek people.

At the beginning of the new year, our country goes through difficult circumstances. By no means should we put at stake what Greek people have achieved so far by suffering deprivations and sacrifices. The successful management of national issues requires stability, determination, continuation, mutual understanding and consent.

Breeding a spirit of division, introversion and querulousness undermines our national goals and threatens the national unanimity which we need today more than ever.

In the new year, the Armed Forces, serving as always on the front line, devoted to their high mission will act as a pillar that promotes our national effort for peace, security and stability in the wider region of the Eastern Mediterranean and the Balkans.   

Personally, living your everyday life on land, at sea and in the air, I am proud to serve in this big family, representing the Greek government.

I wish 2015 to be a year of peace, stability, social cohesion, growth and creativity, personal and family prosperity for all of you.

                                                                                                                                                                          The Minister of National Defence
                                                                                                                                                                                       Nikos Dendias