The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias, visited, on Friday 11 February 2022, bases of Units, Formations, and Surveillance Outposts of the Hellenic Army, the Hellenic Navy and the Hellenic Air Force, on islands of the Eastern Aegean Sea.

Mr. Chardalias started his today’s visits from Lesvos island. He visited the HQ of the 98^th Higher National Guard Battalion Command, the Surveillance Outpost “PROVOSKIDA” and the Naval Outpost of Agrielia, Lesvos, where he attended a briefing by their Commands on the mission, the main tasks and the current activities. He also visited the Gunboat “POLEMISTIS” which is stationed at the port of the island. During the visit, he was toured around the main compartments of the vessel and conversed with the personnel.

From the Naval Outpost of Agrielia, Lesvos, the Deputy Minister delivered the following statement:

“This is the fifth island, the fifth stop of my tour, in eighteen islands and isles, in Formations and Units of the Armed Forces. I have only pride and respect for the work of our personnel.

I would like to assure you that we remain calm, we remain sober and committed to the principles of International Law and the Law of the Sea. But in any case, more than anything else, our Armed Forces remain ready to defend our sovereign rights, to defend our Homeland’s blue sky and sea, our Aegean Sea and our Flag, when and where it is needed.”

The next stations were Psara island and Panagia isle, where the Deputy Minister of National Defence visited the respective Surveillance Outposts. He also met, in the context of his visit to our two remote islands, with the Mayor of the Heroic Island of Psara Mr. Konstantinos Vratsanos and the Mayor of Oinousses Mr. Georgios Daniil.

On Chios island, the Deputy Minister of National Defence visited the HQ of the 96^th Higher National Guard Battalions Command where he attended a briefing on the history, the mission, the main tasks and the current operational – training activities of the Formation. Previously, Mr. Chardalias had visited the readiness echelons of Army and Air Force helicopters, at the airport of the island where he conversed with the pilots and the technical personnel.

The Deputy Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the Commander of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Island Lieutenant General Nikolaos Flaris.