The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos visited Syros today to sign a memorandum of understanding and cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence and the Municipality of Syros – Ermoupoli on the exploitation of “Captain Apostolos Zafeiris” Camp and the firing range in Vari. He also met with representatives of the employees of Neorion Syros Shipyards.

The Minister of National Defence stated the following:

“We met here today with the Mayor of Syros and the Secretary General for the Aegean and Island Policy and signed a memorandum of cooperation between the Ministry of National Defence and the Municipality of Syros – Ermoupoli on the cooperation of the two bodies. I think that this is a very important agreement, a pioneer and pilot agreement which will enable us to cooperate with other municipalities all over Greece.

The Ministry of National Defence owns three properties in the Municipality of Syros, the Camp, the Firing Range of Vari and the Naval Base.

This is an important day for all of us. This is the day that Greece, in Eurogroup, comes out of the memoranda period and settles the issue of the debt. We are moving on to an era of growth.

The Mayor, the Secretary General and I preferred to be here today and make this first step which will give Syros the possibility to reorganize the entire operation of Ermoupoli through a business plan; we can develop tourist structures, consider the existing investment proposals, along with the competent bodies coordinated by the municipality,

In parallel, I would like to tell you that I met with the employees of Neorion Syros Shipyards. There are significant prospects for the future of the Shipyards. We agreed that until the sale procedure of Syros Shipyards is over, we will meet, next week, at the Ministry of National Defence with all competent Ministries and employees to consider capabilities through which we will be able to maintain the Shipyards, with some works that the Hellenic Navy could assign.

I believe that the news that you will be hearing from now on, will be news about growth, reduction of the unemployment and change of the situation that all of us, local government authorities, state government, political parties, as well as the Greek people, were going through over the last five years”.