On Saturday, 4 July 2020, the Deputy Minister of National Defence Alkiviadis Stefanis, as Representative of the President of the Hellenic Government, attended the change of command Ceremony of the Administrative Boards of the Retired Army Officers Association, at the Armed Forces Officers Club.
The Chief of HNDGS General Konstantinos Floros and the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Charalambos Lalousis also attended the ceremony.
The Deputy Minister of National Defence made an address, mentioning the following:
“Representing the Hellenic Government and conveying the Prime Minister’s personal regards, it is a great pleasure and special honor to be here today, to attend the official change of command ceremony of the Administrative Board of the Retired Army Officers Association.
Allow me to also convey the most cordial regards of the Minister of National Defence.
The Retired Army Officers Association is not just another typical institution, but it constitutes an active and collective body of social solidarity and welfare.
Through its actions and synergies, it promotes the reinforcement of the existing bonds of companionship among its members, takes care of their interests, provides every help possible to the members in need and promotes the constructive maintenance of the relations between the retired and active army officers.
In a spirit of mutual respect, solidarity among colleagues, equality, unity, union of hearts, perfect cooperation, love, temperance, wise management and projection of the issues concerning all, without exception, retired Officers, the Retired Officers Association succeeds in its operation goals.
In this context, I would like to congratulate the departing Chairman and the Association’s Administrative Board and to convey my warm thanks for their valuable contribution and offer, during their tour of duty.
To the new Chairman and the new Administrative Board, I express my sincere congratulations for their selection and I wish them every success in their hard and demanding institutional work.
The main and most important goal of the new Administration is no other than the maintenance of the close, perfect relations of the Retired Army Officers Association with all its departments, in a way that they constitute an Association solid as one body. Because in a collective association of people that lacks concord, harmony, solidarity and cohesion of the members, no goal or action program can be implemented with success.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
In a critical time period for our country, during which the known threats against our national sovereignty remain unchanged, we are all called to fight for the national interest, the interest of the Country and our society, against any other partial calculation and it is required to act cohesively, in a spirit of responsibility, collective fellowship, and general unity, on the basis of a new understanding and national strategy, without offences and stereotypes, protecting first and most of all, the national union of hearts and consent at all levels of strategic thinking and planning.
Concluding, I would like to assure the new Association’s Administration that the Ministry of National Defence will always be of assistance and support to its efforts to achieve its vision”.
