The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos attended the renaming ceremony of the amphitheatre at the Air Force Academy as “Lieutenant (AF) Nikolaos Sialmas” amphitheatre, at the Dekeleia Air Base, Tatoi.

The ceremony was also attended by the Lieutenant’s (AF) Nikolaos Sialmas family, the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff General Mihail Kostarakos, the Chief of the Hellenic Air Force General Staff Lieutenant General (AF) Antonios Tsantirakis, the Chief of the Hellenic Tactical Air Force Command Lieutenant General (AF) Evaggelos Tournas, the former Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Dimitris Apostolakis, honorary Chiefs of the Armed Forces, as well as active-duty and retired personnel of the Hellenic Air Force.

After the ceremony, Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following address:

“I am here, as Minister of National Defence, to perform a duty, a duty that emerges from our soul and heart; to pay homage to one of the bravest officers of the Hellenic Air Force who sacrificed his life at the altar of duty, during the interception of a Turkish aircraft that had violated the airspace at the Aegean.

Allow me first to begin by testifying a personal experience. I have the honour to have met the Sialmas family long time ago when, before even thinking about getting involved in politics, I used to work as an active journalist.

Shortly after the tragic events that led to the loss of Lieutenant Sialmas, I visited his family and, starting with his father, had a conversation with his relatives.

I took the initiative to present some elements of the conversation we had back then at my television show. Engraved in my memory, Mr. Andreas Sialmas, are the images of Nikos’ room where laid the Greek flag and a candle lit in his memory. I also remember his sword and cap on top of the flag.

I believe that the state was late –and we should bravely assume our responsibilities– in paying, to the appropriate extent, the homage due to your son, Mr. Sialmas, who is and shall be a point of reference and role model to the newer generations of the Air Force cadets.

However late it may be, the state puts the situation back in order and I am particularly happy and proud that this happens during my days in the Ministry of National Defence.

Dear cadets, having invested dreams, made many efforts and succeeded in a series of examinations, you are now part of the Air Force Academy. You and your families have high expectations from this great and historic military Academy of the Hellenic Air Force and I assure you that the standards are very high.

You are called to continue the heroic efforts of hundreds of great aviators of the Hellenic Air Force, who have honoured their oath towards Greece, who have done and still do their best so that national sovereignty, national independence and national integrity will remain intact. Above all, you are called to continue the deeds of those who sacrificed their lives defending these supreme values.

I am certain -and this is what your expression, patriotism, character, confidence, and performance at the exams which granted you a place at the Hellenic Air Force Academy depict- that you will respect this tradition and continue upgrading it from one generation to the other. This is why I would like you not to forget the true meaning of symbols.

If the financial crisis has taught us something, apart from the need to restore mistakes and omissions of the past, it is the fact that we need to go back and, as the Chief of the Air Force has already mentioned, we need to find the solid values that helped our nation win its freedom, go against the adversities of History, get through Clashing Rocks and avoid destruction.

Some of these values were forgotten or some individuals considered them outdated, old, and rusty. But this is not the case. These are the values that we find again today, as we have the obligation to leave our mark, our personal responsibility, our personal track.

These are the values that, from now on, will help us keep standing, in order to be able to bounce back, stand on our feet as a Nation and move forward. We should believe in the duty, the oath, the attention to classic values and national ideals, the patriotism, the self-sacrifice, the altruism, the meaning of community, the social and national solidarity, and the importance of social and national cohesion.

Therefore I am really glad because this humble ceremony is abounding with these values. I understand that there are also problems. The political and military leadership witness such problems on a daily basis.

We are aware that in order to save the country –and to not let it go bankrupt, because if Greece went bankrupt, a failed state, a failed country would not need the Armed Forces and would be at the disposal of the expansive appetite of any dangerous neighbour– some necessary budgetary cuts had to be made. Obviously, nobody wanted these cuts, but they had to be made.

Because the country is at a financial war; because the country has to win its national bet; because the country has to win and move forward.

On the other hand, I am aware that the problems of the daily life do not affect the men and women of the Armed Forces. Not because they are impervious to them –the problems do exist and the families bear a heavy burden– but the Greek officers have learnt to disconnect the problems, the justified complaints and the requests they may have from the duty towards the Nation, the duty towards the Greek people and Greece.

We need to acknowledge, congratulate, thank and publicly praise the members of the Hellenic Armed Forces. I would like you to know that, during these tough times, many sides of the horizon monitor, observe and are proud of what you offer with dignity, pride and efficiency not only to Greece but also to the allied and international missions.

If we keep maintaining our social and national cohesion, we shall get over the difficult times a lot faster than what some may believe. We shall smile again. We shall look at the future with optimism again. The first messages and indications of optimism have already started arriving.

It is during this difficult time that the Armed Forces stand out. I would also like to thank the retired personnel of the Armed Forces, who are an integral part of the big family of the Hellenic Armed Forces and bear a historic and heavy burden.

Together, we shall move forward. Together we shall get through the hammer and the anvil; we already do. Together we shall deal with the difficulties. And I assure you: we shall win again. We shall win this financial war that was declared against our country.

Dear friends of the Sialmas family, when you leave this place I would like you to know that you are carrying a piece of our heart. You are an example of the proper Hellenic family. This is the way Hellenic men and women are. These are the Hellenic families.

We keep Nikos in our memory. We are proud of his self-sacrifice and altruism. And we are sure that the future generations that will be here in these amphitheatres will enjoy the same high level of education that is offered by the Military Academies of the Hellenic Armed Forces, will keep Nikos in their minds and hearts and will have as their code of conduct the life and sacrifice of Nikos.

May the heroic Lieutenant Sialmas always be remembered. May our brave aviators who intercept hostile aircrafts in the Aegean have good flights. We are proud of the Hellenic Air Force.

Thank you”