“One more promise we gave together is fulfilled. NORATLAS 52-133 “NIKI 4” of the Hellenic Air Force is no longer buried under the “Makedonitissa Tomb” because of alleviations some people caused in order to erase history.

Thanks to your persistence, thanks to the efforts of both Defence Ministries and particularly thanks to the efforts of the Hellenic Air Force, of the Chief, of the Officers, NCOs and technicians, we are here today, together with the heroic crews of NORATLAS, the survivors, the families of the fallen, the raiders and their relatives to restore an aspect of the Greek history, of Greek people’s defence against the invaders.

Your Excellency Mr. President, allow me to refer to only two examples in this ceremony, addressing the heroic crews of NORATLAS and the heroic raiders:

On the island of Ro, we paid our first visit after the memorial service in memory of Bikakis. The raider commander of the island’s garrison handed over the flag that was lowered from the flag pole and told me “Mr. Minister, I hand you the worn flag from the flag pole of Ro and I promise you that, as long as even one of us is alive, our flag will be always flown”.

These are your children and this is the legacy you bequeathed to young raiders who receive this order and convey it to their children.

Every day, Mr. President, at least once a day, many times, even five and six times per day, I receive a text message on my phone from the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force. Two Turkish aircraft or four, six or eight Turkish aircraft are violating Greece’s air space: “They entered above Limnos island. Mr. Minister we are in the air”. They have been fulfilling their promise ceaselessly until today, day and night, in winter and summer: “We will be the last ones to land”.

This means that each time our country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity is threatened, our Hellenic Air Force, the high readiness crews from Skyros, Limnos, Crete and Central Greece are in the aircraft within a few seconds, just as you did that day when the operation “NIKI” began.   

I would like to assure you Mr. President and every one of you who are present and mostly the crews of NORATLAS that everyday our pilots take off for interceptions smiling just like you did. They do not leave to do drudgery, but to perform their duty.

They are pleased to take off, knowing that 10% of your colleagues have “left” as heroes. These are your offspring, today’s fighters of the Aegean Sea who know well that Cyprus is an inseparable part of our nation.

I assure you, captains and members of NORATLAS crews that all our pilots of the Hellenic Air Force continue your tradition. This is why nobody will ever be able to threaten the Greek people.

We are the only ones to fight for faith and country and this makes us invincible”.