The political and military leadership of the Ministry of National Defence, together with members of the Standing Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Parliament, visited the islands Rho, Strongyli and Megisti. The purpose of the visit was to attend a briefing by the Commanders and form an opinion on the readiness of the Armed Forces in the most remote areas, as well as on the determination of the personnel that has been assigned this mission; to meet the personnel, the conscripts and the residents and to express their wishes on the oncoming holidays personally.

The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos stated the following:

“We are here today, together with the Alternate Minister of National Defence Dimitris Vitsas and the fellow MPs of the Committee on National Defence and Foreign Affairs, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff and the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff. We visited Rho, Strongyli and now we are on Megisti to express our wishes to the Officers, NCOs, Conscripts and National Guards, as well as to residents of the islands because the Greek people stand by them.

We know how difficult their job is, it is a difficult duty under difficult conditions. It is the message of unanimity on behalf of the Greek people that strengthens even more the morale of the Armed Forces. It is our children that defend our country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity.

Every Greek should think about Kastellorizo, about the islands of the Eastern Aegean Sea, Evros and all the Units of the Hellenic Armed Forces, about our pilots who protect our national air space, about the commanders of the vessels of our Hellenic Navy who protect our sea borders, about the personnel of the Armed Forces who will celebrate holidays away from their families, yet within the big family of Greece.

Happy holidays”.