On Tuesday 11 June 2024, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, representing the President of the Hellenic Government, accompanied by Chief/HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, attended the ceremony for the ship naming and incorporation in the Hellenic Navy of the General Support-Special Operations Ship “PERSEUS”, held at Salamina Naval Base.
The ceremony was attended by H.E. the President of the Hellenic Republic Aikaterini Sakellaropoulou. It was also attended by the President of the “Spartiates” Party Vassileios Stigas, the MPs Dionysios Chatzidakis, Stefanos Gigas, Nikolaos Vlahakos, Georgios Vrettakos, Mihail Livanos and Dimitrios Markopoulos, as well as the MP and former Minister of National Defence and Honorary Chief/HNDGS, Admiral (ret.) Evangelos Apostolakis, the Reverend Metropolitan of Megara and Salamina Mr. Konstantinos, the Mayor of Salamina Giorgos Panagopoulos, representatives of the Security Forces, of the Local Self-Administration and of local agencies.
On behalf of the military, the ceremony was attended by Chief/HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras HN, Chief/HAFGS Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Gregoriadis, the Commander of the Special Warfare Command Lieutenant General Prokopios Mavraganis, the A Branch Director/HAGS Major General Konstantinos Karamanidis, representing the Chief/HAGS.
The ceremony was also attended by the former Minister of National Defence and Honorary Chief/HAGS, General (ret.) Alkiviadis Stefanis, the former Chiefs/HNGS Admiral (ret.) Kosmas Christidis HN, Admiral (ret.) Nikolaos Tsounis HN and Admiral (ret.) Stylianos Petrakis HN, as well as the former Deputy Chief/HNGS Admiral (ret.) Georgios Kambourakis HN.
The ship one more kind donation to the Hellenic Navy by the President of “Aikaterini Laskaridi” Foundation, ship-owner and Rear Admiral (honorary) Dr. Panagiotis Laskaridis HN.
The naming was performed by the Student of the Naval NCO School, 3rd Technical Ammunition, Konstantina Bogdanaki.
The Minister of National Defence stated in his address:
“It is a great honour and joy for me to be here today, at the incorporation ceremony of the General Support Ship “PERSEUS” in the Fleet of our Navy.
This day marks the new era of reinforcing our Country’s naval power. We are proud for our Navy, from antiquity until now. It is said -correctly I presume- that our Navy was never defeated. Today, on one hand it defends the national interests, safeguarding our seas and, on the other hand, it projects our flag in a series of missions of great national and European importance, either outside the coast of Lebanon in a U.N. mission or in “IRINI” operation, north of the coast of Libya, or the “ASPIDES” operation, the largest operation ever performed by the European Union.
Our Navy is getting modernised. New units already under construction, the FDI frigates, will be in a few months here, in the Naval Base.
New approaches have been also attempted, such as the Hellenic Centre for Defence Innovation, where we seek new capabilities with force multipliers that will allow the Greek human capital to project its huge capabilities.
I have a strong hope that after a few years the Hellenic Navy will be stronger than ever in the history of our Country, having faced the great choices of the times, having moved to the new submarines programme, in the modernization of the existing potential, combined with the acquisition of the antisubmarine helicopters.
Concluding, I would like to request something: What is important today is not only the incorporation of a ship in the Fleet or the big contribution -and it is not the only one- of Admiral Laskaridis. It is the memory of a national example, which, allow me to say, has brought our Country to its current level. This national example is the example of the great benefactors, of the people whose spare and many times lack of assets was invested and spent in the future of the homeland, the future of the Greek society, of the Greek people, of the Greek nation.
Therefore, I would like to say loud and clear and by inviting and asking the Greek Ship-owners who, thank God, prosper: to join the example of Admiral Laskaridis, because the Country will always need them.
Thank you”.
