The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the HNDGS Chief Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, the Hellenic Navy General Staff Chief  Vice Admiral Nikolaos Tsounis and the Chief of the Fleet Vice Admiral Ioannis Pavlopoulos, attended the inauguration ceremony of 12  residencies for the HN personnel at Lakki and Partheni, Leros.  

The Minister of National Defence during his address stated the following:

‘’We are here with the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff, the Chief of the Fleet, Admirals, Officers, Non- Commissioned Officers, Men and Women of the Armed Forces, the people of Leros in order to inaugurate on this border island, which is of a huge operational and national significance, this refurbished historical building that will  host officers and their families, here at Lakki, as well as at Partheni.

We all realize the sacrifices made by  the cadres of the Armed Forces as well as  their families, because of the particularities they unavoidably face as a consequence of their frequent reassignments.

We should all understand that the Cadres of the Armed Forces and their families are constantly obliged  to change their place of residence.  On many occasions, during holidays, when we are  all together with our families, they have to be onboard their ships, the planes and at the camps.  There are no summer holidays for the cadres of the Armed Forces.

In 2015, when I assumed the political leadership of the Ministry of National Defence and realizing the specific  impact on the cadres of the Armed Forces,  suffered due to cuts exceeding the 50% of their monthly payment, we initiated a program supporting the manpower, through the construction of residencies for the officers, non – commissioned officers and the professional servicemen who serve mainly at borderline areas.  Starting from the three residencies built till 2013, we achieved the inauguration of 101 residencies last year and I believe that this year, God willing, we will be able to have more than 415 ones.  In other words, we are going to exceed  a percentage  of 70%  for all the officers, non – commissioned officers and their families especially on the islands and the borderline.  

I would especially like to thank the cadres of the Armed Forces for this crucial  investment to the human factor, since apart from the economic resources we provided,  they achieved results like the ones we can see today, with their personal  work and devotion.  I would like to make special mention of  the participation of the Commander of the Naval and Technical Services Installations of Leros,    the officers,   non-commissioned officers, the people of Leros,  as well as all former  Commanders – some of them are here today – as this project was based upon the hard work of the cadres of the Armed Forces.

Despite the economic difficulties, I am certain that by the end of the summer 2018, we will be able to meet the needs of our Armed Forces serving on the borderline as a whole.
Dear cadres of the Hellenic Navy,

You should feel proud, just like all Greek people,  of the Armed Forces, because you have devoted a part of your life serving the fatherland, the society as a whole, as well as the inhabitants of this borderline area.  Your courageous souls and devotion to duty,  guarantee our national sovereignty, territorial integrity and  peace in the area of responsibility entrusted to you by the State and the Greek people.

Today, it is worth-mentioning, that on this related to the military family occasion, the Church, through His Imminence, the authorities as a whole, the Regional Governor, the Commander of the Province, the Mayor, representatives of the municipal authorities and the people of Leros are present.  This bond, between the Armed Forces and the people, is of great significance, especially here on this borderline area, where, after the reactivation  of the National Guard and the Reserve, I believe that we will manage to reinforce the shield  provided  in any case by the Armed Forces.        

The Ministry of National Defence and the leadership of the Armed Forces actually recognize and honour the contribution and devotion of the cadres of the Armed Forces but also of the inhabitants of the islands.  For us, supporting you and your families is really substantial.  

I would like to talk a little about the island of Leros.  The project we are inaugurating today  is  only the beginning, since Leros is of huge strategic importance, holding also a position of responsibility in the Greek State.

I hope, that with the cooperation of the Municipal authorities, the Regional Governor, the Commander of the Province and the economic recovery  of our country, we will soon  be able to reconstruct all the buildings stretching from the Naval Base to the Mental Hospital, as well as the traditional buildings which constitute historical monuments.  As far as this field is concerned, the Armed Forces are at the disposal of the local Administration to build resorts  in order to host  officers and non-commissioned officers,  both from Greece and allied forces, a fact that is going to especially  help in the development of the island off- season, too.

I would also like to make a special reference to the society of Leros  which, as far as the refugees issue is concerned, proved that it is willing to embrace the refugees. We, Greeks have experienced what it is like being a  refugee,  when they were persecuted in Asia Minor, in  Smyrna, following the Holocausts.

I would like to remind you, that when at that time the Greeks were trying to get onboard  western ships, the only ships which hosted them were those of Syria.  In Cyprus too, when the invasion and the occupation took place, the first doctors who arrived at Cyprus  were the Syrian doctors. It is our turn to host them now.  I especially thank the society of Leros, which although it  was under huge pressure,  it responded in this way unlike others collecting the results.  

I would also like to mention that, today, on our way to the island, along with the Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff and the Chief of the Fleet we dived to  the wreck of ‘’QUEEN OLGA’’.  This historic ship could become an underwater museum, together with the other underwater museums of Leros and in cooperation with the Municipal and the Regional authorities we can make  the island a touristic diving center.

Three million tourists from the European Union visit Europe and Africa for  diving tourism.  Countries like Egypt, Jordan, Turkey have already been excluded because of the prevailing political situation.  

Our fatherland, with its capabilities, the tremendous  beauty and the enormous cultural wealth, can host  diving tourism and Leros can become its center.  

Concluding, I would like you all to know, Your Imminence, Mr  Regional Governor, Mayor,  Commander of the Province, ladies and gentlemen, that the Armed Forces are not present here today only in the name of  festivities.  The presence of the Armed Forces has been enhanced throughout the Dodecanese and the borderline of Greece.  All recruited men serve for at least three months at the borders of Greece, the islands and at the area of the Evros river.  This is  combined with the presence of the Hellenic Navy, our ships, which despite the economic difficulties, made possible, especially last week, the deployment of  the fleet as a whole during the large scale exercise of the Turkish Navy,  with sacrifices the officers, non-commissioned officers and seamen made  themselves.

Our Air Force managed each emerging threat.  A little time ago, four aircraft of the Turkish Air Force entered and violated our airspace and were intercepted by our Air Force.  
The Army is also present here, ready along with the National Guard  to respond to any threat at any given moment.  Greece is a peaceful country.  We want peace and co-existence with other peoples.  I would like, though, all to be very well aware of the fact that we are not going to draw back not even a millimeter concerning our territorial integrity, our sovereignty rights, our principles, our values and our faith.

I would like to thank you very much for the participation of you all in today’s significant occasion for the Hellenic Navy.