The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS Admiral Evagnelos Apostolakis and the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Alkiviadis Stefanis attended the inauguration ceremony of 19 apartments in Thessaloniki for the students of the Supreme Joint War College.

The Minister of National Defence, in his address, during the inauguration ceremony stated the following:
 
“I am particularly pleased to be here, in Aghia Triada, to inaugurate 19 renovated apartments which will cover the needs of the students of the Supreme War College and the Army Summer Resort, as well as to inaugurate the operation of 4 Quarters for Officers, NCOs and Professional soldiers, during the ceremony that will be held afterwards in “KOTTAS” Camp, which will cover the housing needs of personnel of Thessaloniki garrison.
    
I am here to declare once more that we, the political and military leadership, continue the effort that we had begun, the promise that we gave you in 2015; to find a solution for the thorny problem of housing the personnel of the Armed Forces who travel due to service needs, a very important problem nowadays.
 
Our vision is to make it possible for every person who is assigned to a particular garrison, regardless of whether this garrison is on the borders, on the islands or even in big cities, to be able to find an already existent residence and thus have the time to devote himself to his new duties.

This is our objective.
 
And to achieve this, we work according to a programme, responsibly and persistently.
 
As you all know, it is our government’s steady policy to avoid talking too much. We want our actions and our work to speak for us.
 
So, action has been taken regarding 385 military houses of the Army, a part of which are also the apartments which we inaugurate today. A significant effort is also underway for these actions to be completed as soon as possible thus raising the total number of houses to more than 3200 all over Greece.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our sensitiveness towards personnel’s problems should be taken for granted. Care for our personnel is a main component of our policy. We aim to address effectively the problems of our permanent personnel which regard issues such as: career and promotions, assignments, housing, salaries, healthcare, safe working conditions, hygiene and living conditions, support to military families.
 
In the context of this multifaceted policy, we reconstruct and upgrade hospital facilities, we renovate existing military houses so that the personnel and their families may reside in decent houses and we also extend the operation of day nurseries to other big cities of Greece.

With the money that we will be able to receive from the sale of obsolete non usable material, as well as with a part of the income from the utilisation of property of the Armed Forces, we will try to create all those infrastructures for the military personnel, officers, NCOs and privates, as well as for retired personnel whom we consider members of the family of the National Defence, as well as for the national guards, to enjoy every possible support with regards to their housing, health care services and other needs of their families.
 
And this is the least our state can offer the personnel of the Armed Forces. Particularly to those persons who saw a huge cut in their salaries, during the financial crisis;
 
To people who work arduously day and night long for the security and defence of the country; to people who are present against any national challenge and any natural disaster;
 
To people who reflect the strength and ability of the Greek state to guard its borders, to ensure peace, security and prosperity of its nation.
 
To all those people, to the personnel of the Armed Forces, the Prime Minister, the leadership of the Ministry of National Defence, as well as the entire government and the entire Greek people can only express honour and acknowledgement  

Dear personnel of the garrison of Thessaloniki,

Be proud for the work that you have undertaken as well as for having dedicated a part of your lives to the service of our homeland and the community. I am referring also to the community because the work the Armed Forces offer to the community becomes all the more significant every year and they respond to the expectations and confidence of the Greek people.  
 
 
As a conclusion, I would not like to neglect to congratulate the HAGS, the Chief, the Commanders all over the chain of command as well as the personnel for their everyday effort to complete the actions which regard the improvement of the personnel’s living conditions.
 
We are convinced for the successful operation of our programme and I would like to assure you that we will stand by you and reinforce our efforts to achieve the best possible conditions in every field.
 
I wish the new residents of these houses to raise their families and I assure them that the political and military leadership will always stand by them.

Thank you very much.”