The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, coming out of the Maximos Mansion, after the completion of the Governmental Council on Foreign Policy and National Defence, made the following statement:
“As you all know, the Governmental Council on Foreign Policy and National Defence, met today under the Prime Minister Antonis Samaras.
During this meeting, the Governmental Council on Foreign Policy and National Defence discussed and approved the New Structure of the Hellenic Armed Forces. The aim of all this was to have stronger Armed Forces, with greater deterrent power, so as to completely shield our country’s sovereignty, integrity and independence. The new structure is the outcome of a collective effort which lasted several years. We picked up the baton from the ones who preceded and we struggled to finish this procedure as fast as possible, giving it the essential content that was targeted since the beginning.
What does this reform include? Not only don’t we reduce combat units, but we reinforce them. However, we do reduce command structures, where they are not needed. Namely, we reduce a part called “military bureaucracy” where it does not serve operational goals. Therefore, implementing the New Structure, the Hellenic Armed Forces will be stronger, more flexible, with concrete scale economies, so that they will imminently respond to the mission they have been entrusted with by the Country, the Nation and our People.
As I said, I would like to thank all those who worked throughout the whole project. The Leaderships that passed, one-another, the baton of this effort; o thank the staff officers, thank all those who worked for years, night and day, so that this project would be completed.
Moreover, given the chance of the approval by the Governmental Council on Foreign Policy and National Defence of this New Structure, which –before that- was approved by the Hellenic Parliament after two long meetings, I would like to address a public praise and thank them many times from the bottom of my heart the thousands men and women of the Armed Forces, the Chiefs, the Generals, the simple Officers and NCOs, the soldiers, everyone who, during the past winter and every winter, they are with their feet in the dirt at Evros, they are on our ships that patrol the frontiers of the Hellenic Seas, they are in our airplanes and perform interceptions, our pilots.
Moreover, everyone who are not at the frontline, yet they are behind the line, making every effort possible to support the ones who are at the frontline. As State, we know that what they do, they are doing it under difficult circumstances; with budget cuts, with difficulties. However, they do it in the best possible way, because they believe in the oath they have taken, in the Armed Forces, in their mission, they believe in Greece. The state is fully aware of their great offer and it has committed, from the very moment the first signs of recovery will appear, that it will give the Armed Forces exactly what is due.
As far as the meeting of the Governmental Council on Foreign Policy and National Defence, after the approval of a series of sub-programmes that do not relate – and I would like you to pay attention to that – the purchase of new weapon systems. We do not purchase new weapon systems. However, what we do is the necessary actions so as to support the existing systems, whether that refers to spare parts or to procedures of technical support.
That is what I had to say, I have nothing else to add. I will repeat that in the Armed Forces a hard effort is being done, one that is fully recognised by the Greek people and I believe that they are all worth of our public praise.
Thank you very much”.
