On Holy Wednesday, 20 April 2022, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias, went to Lesbos, the small islet Panaghia, and Inousses, where he visited the Army Surveillance Outposts of “MITHYMNA”, “PANAGHIA”, and “INOUSSES”.
Within the framework of the visits, the Deputy Minister of National Defence was briefed on the Outposts’ mission and exchanged views with the cadres and enlisted soldiers on the occasion of the Easter holidays.
Moreover, Mr. Chardalias attended the service that took place at the Church of Zoodochos Pigi in Panaghia, officiated by His Eminence, the Metropolitan of Chios, Psara, and Inousses, Mr. Markos.
Furthermore, the Deputy Minister of National Defence inspected the project for the interconnection of the power grid of the Surveillance Outpost of “PANAGHIA” and the Church of Zoodochos Pigi on the small islet of Panaghia to the power grid of the Hellenic Electricity Distribution Network Operator (DEDDIE) via under-sea cable. This was a project which the political leadership of the Ministry of National Defence pledged to implement 6 months ago and which, in consultation and cooperation with the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, was completed a few days ago. The project required the effective cooperation of crews and assets of DEDDIE, the Municipalities of Chios and Inousses, and Army Engineer echelons. The activity was also attended by the Mayors of Chios, Mr. Stamatis Karmantzis, and Inouses, Mr. Georgios Daniil, as well as the Director of DEDDIE for Chios, Mr. Georgios Kalamakis. The Deputy Minister also discussed and exchanged wishes with personnel of the Engineer echelon who were involved in the grid maintenance works.
From the port of Inousses, the Deputy Minister of National Defence made the following statement:
“Those who seem to talk about peace, friendship, and cooperation but in fact act as terrorists in the broader region should be aware of a couple of things. In Greece, we work for peace and friendship between the peoples, in line with the Law, but above all, we prepare with the Armed Forces to protect our sovereign rights if necessary.
From Inousses, Panaghia, from our border Outposts, Happy Easter to all Armed Forces personnel”.
On the sidelines of his visit to Inousses, the Mayor Mr. Daniil proclaimed the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias an Honorary Citizen of Inousses, following a unanimous decision of the Municipal Council, thus acknowledging his direct, effective, and successful contribution to the reinforcement of the defences of the small islet Panaghia. The relevant resolution, read by the Mayor of Inousses, reads as follows:
“The Municipality of Inousses believes it is its duty to express its warm and sincere thanks and deep gratitude to the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Nikolaos Chardalias for his decisive contribution to the implementation of a great project for Panaghia island, its power interconnection, which has been a decades-old dream of the local community. A project of great patriotic symbolism and emotionally charged for us locals which the Deputy Minister of National Defence promised six months ago and today we see complete.
The Municipal Authority, which has been very sparing in bestowing honours, deemed it necessary to honour you by proclaiming you a Honorary Citizen of the Maritime Municipality of Inousses, considering that with your persistence, struggle, and effectiveness of actions, a very difficult and costly project of national importance for our community was completed.
Many promised it, but only one implemented it, many have been promising it for decades, but only one realised it. Please accept this honour and this resolution affirming our decision to consider you a fellow citizen of our Municipality and bestow upon you due honours and thanks for the implementation of a great project on Panaghia island, the power interconnection, which was been a decades-old dream of the local community”.
The Deputy Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the Commanding General of the Higher Military Command of Interior and Islands, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Houpis, and the Commanding Generals of the 98th Higher National Guard Battalions Command, Major General Grigorios Boudliakis, and the 96th Higher National Guard Battalions Command, Major General Emmanouil Hatzis, as appropriate.
