The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General Christos Christodoulou visited the 113th Combat Wing, Thessaloniki.
The Minister of National Defence made the following statement:
“Today, the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force and I visit the Technical Base and the Squadron of fire fighting aircraft, to thank, on behalf not only of the political and military leadership and the Prime Minister, but of the entire Greek people as well, the officers, the NCOs, the civilian personnel and the airmen who have worked beyond their strength this year. Only during the last weekend, 208 flight hours of our Air Force fire fighting assets have been recorded.
I would like to congratulate the pilots who give an example to the whole world – through their international assignments, last year in Israel, this year in Albania – as well as the technical personnel who have managed to provide so high availability and this too is an example for the whole world. On behalf of the entire Greek people, we thank them and congratulate them because the fires that we have seen over the last days on Kythera island and elsewhere are a situation which can only be experienced as one of the biggest disasters.
I would like to assure them that we will do anything to provide any technical assistance which the assets need in order to be able to operate under better conditions. Also, I would like to assure them that the entire Greek people, without any exception, acknowledge their work. Those who think that they will continue this policy of abandoning the flags on the islets to be carried away by the wind are the exception and not the rule.
Thank you very much.”
