The Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos visited the island of Stroghili and the Guard Post at Ro Island, where he discussed with the military personnel. After he attended the memorial service in memory of the “Lady of Ro” and laid wreaths to her monument.
Mr. Panagiotopoulos was accompanied by the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Michail Kostarakos, the Commander of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands Lieutenant General Vassilios Tellidis and the Commander of the 95 Higher National Guard Battalions Command Major General Nikolaos Devetzis.
After the end of their visit, Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following statement:
“We are on the island group of Meghisti. After visiting Kastelorizo, we came at Stroghili. The small island which is located very close to Kastelorizo, where we just met with our youth there, as well as with the cadres of the island’s HQ.
Afterwards, we came here at Ro, the island of Despina Achladioti who is no longer among us, yet the principles she raised, her example and model, will always be present in our lives. In order for us to have a memorial service in her memory and meet with the people serving this HQ and safeguarding this farthest border of Greek territory.
Let us simply say that we should all stay together, united and make sure to never strike the Greek flag the “Lady of Ro” made sure to always hold in its place, up on the flag staff.
We can all remain standing; go through the hammer and the anvil of this crisis and gaze forward. This is the message that before and above anything else is offered to us by the Greek people’s youth who are here, our frontier guardians, our frontiersmen”.
•It should be noted that by initiative of the Minister of National Defence Mr. Panos Panagiotopoulos, the Prime Minister Mr. Antonis Samaras had a telephone discussion with the Commander of the Defence Command of Meyisti island, Lieutenant Colonel (Inf) Vassilios Layoyiannis and the Head of the Guard post of Ro Island, Captain (Inf) Athanassios Siskos, during which he asked them to extend his warmest wishes to all personnel under their command, to the Units of their region.
