The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, the Chief of HAGS Lt General Alkiviadis Stefanis, the Chief of HNGS Rear Admiral Nikolaos Tsounis and the Chief of HAFGS Lt General Christos Christodoulou inaugurated the stall of the Armed Forces at the 82nd Thessaloniki International Trade Fair.
 
He wandered the hall of the Exhibition and visited the stall of the Hellenic Police.
 
The Minister of National Defence, while addressing those present, said the following:
 
“It is a particular pleasure for me to attend, once more, the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, at the Integrated Exhibition Stall of the Armed Forces, actively participating in their promotion.
 
The demonstration of your work to the Greek citizen is our obligation and I will support this kind of initiatives like the erection of the Armed Forces stall in the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair, materialised during the previous year and continued to this year, coordinated by the C’ Army Corps which I must congratulate for its work.
 
The Armed Forces exhibition stall in the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair was very well received and even loved during its function last year by the public as well as the hosts, exceeding any expectation of traffic and we hope the same for this year, through the first-class organisation of our participation.
 
There is no doubt that these initiatives enhance extroversion in the Armed Forces and further forge our relations with the Greek people.
 
The Armed Forces are not segregated from society. The Armed Forces are the Greek people, they are our children. The Armed Forces were and will always be by the citizen’s side and that is proven every day through actions.
 
I would like to particularly thank for their presence here today the Chief of the Hellenic Police and the Chiefs of Port Authority and the Fire Brigade for their excellent cooperation with the Armed Forces during the current year.
 
The contribution of the Armed Forces to the Greek society is a given and is recognised by every Greek man or woman, who I call to take this opportunity and visit our stall here in Thessaloniki, so that they can be informed about our work and our capabilities in a modern theatre of operations.
 
It is not a random fact that the Greek people, in a difficult period for our country, trust the Armed Forces and the Church more than any other state institution.
 
I would like everyone to know that the Greek people trusts us and this becomes obvious from the representation and your presence here, because we do not just defend – as is our Constitutional obligation – the national independence and the territorial integrity of our country but we are ready to respond to any challenge, with a high sense of responsibility and professionalism. At the same time the Hellenic Armed Forces with their social presence in difficult occasions for our country, in natural disasters and air evacuations are always present and by the side of the Greek citizen.
 
Furthermore, we all know that the Armed Forces defend and will keep defending, whenever required, our flags, our islands, our rocks and the whole territory of our country until their last drop of blood, just like they swore in their oath. The periods when the flags were “carried away by the wind” have passed for our country and they will never return. As long as even one soldier remains alive, the flag will fly high and will be lowered only to be replaced due to wear and for no other reason.
 
The Hellenic Armed Forces also defend our nation’s dignity by safeguarding our national sovereign rights, having the support of the whole Hellenism living in Greece or abroad.

We are proud of you because you serve ideals and values which have kept this land alive.
 
So let us send from here, Thessaloniki, the capital of the one and only Macedonia, but also the city with the most strategic location in the Balkans, a message. A message saying that our country’s Armed Forces, our cadres, our conscripted children, the civilian personnel and the National Guard – whose contribution we honour by declaring this year “Year of National Guard and Reserves” – are ready to immediately respond to the call of the country.
 
As I have stressed many time before, our country’s defence is powerful because our best and most potent asset is the Greek’s soul. The Armed Forces’ super-weapon is its personnel. All of you.
 
In my closing remarks I would like on one hand to congratulate all of you participating in the excellent organisation and function of the Armed Forces stall here in the Thessaloniki International Trade Fair and on the other hand to thank all our personnel on behalf of all the Greeks for everything you offer to our country.
 
I would like to particularly thank our visitors and to officially announce that after a hard work by the HNGS and due to a decision by the Chief of HNDGS, the General Staffs and the political leadership, in a few days we will have the honour to accompany the historical ship “AVEROF” to Thessaloniki where it will remain and it will be open for visits for all the inhabitants of Thessaloniki and its schools. We will pay to it the honours due and it will also remain here for the parade.
 
Thank You Very Much”.