The Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis and the Chief of HNGS Vice-Admiral Nikolaos Tsounis attended the memorial service for the fallen cadres of the Hellenic Navy which took place at the “Kanellopoulos” Naval Base.

The Minister of National Defence made the following address:

“Blessed by the church we stand here today, for the highest honour for our Hellenic Navy and the Coastguard, in order to kneel before our heroes who fell for faith and country.

They fell fighting for the Greek flag.

The fell fighting to safeguard our national sovereignty, territorial integrity and our country’s honour.

They fell fighting in order to establish the ideals for the next generations.

I am proud as a politician, head of our country’s Armed Forces, because wherever I stand abroad, in allied countries but also countries we have stood against in the past, I can sense their respect, due to the sacrifice of all those officers, NCOs, petty officers (3rd Class) and sailors, who gave their lives so we can be free as a nation and for our country’s honour in the great alliances where the Greek flag stands always at the head of the parades.

We are here to pay tribute to those heroes who kept true to their oath and gave their last drop of blood for the safety of the Greek people. To those who wholeheartedly believed and keep believing in the sanctity of the duty to the country.

A duty which is unchanging in peacetime and wartime throughout the centuries for the cadres and the conscripts of the Hellenic Navy and the Coastguard, who being fully aware of their mission, stand as unwavering guards at the seas and in peacetime exercise in conditions of war.

This is a message I send while standing here, from this event of outmost respect, paying homage to our heroes, to the citizens but also to all those who try to equate the work of the Armed Forces’ cadres to the respectable work of other citizens serving our country from other posts. It is not the same.

We read earlier the list of the fallen heroes during WWII, during the invasion in Cyprus and the following occupation but we also read a long list of the Hellenic Navy’s and the Coastguard’s cadres who fell during peace.

There is no peacetime for the cadres of the Armed and Security Forces. We are in constant war and the conditions under which the Armed and Security Forces cadres serve are conditions of war. Every day on the Aegean Sea, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, our ships protect the Greek and European borders.

At this point I would like to say that the people’s response constitutes a particular honour. The presence of citizens in Thessaloniki while “Averof” was anchored there, the respect they demonstrated while paying homage to the battleship of victory and liberty, the advice given by our fathers, mothers, grandfathers and grandmothers to the children and grandchildren, demonstrate that the Greek people believe in the Armed Forces and are aware of the contribution of the Armed and Security Forces.

The Greek people are ready to do what our ancestors did when they could ill -afford it, they were able in financially hard times, like today, to acquire the “Averof” battleship. Like then they are ready to give 90% – 10% was then given by Georgios Averof – for the enhancement of our country’s defence.

So Mr. President I would like to assure you that our political and military leadership’s obligation and duty of paying the homage due to the heroes who fell is also in force for all of you who did not give your last drop of blood but who have given your whole life to the Hellenic Navy, the Coastguard and the other arms of the Security Forces.

I would like to assure you that, as you described, we are experiencing a war. We are under huge pressure and when I leave the Ministry of National Defence, me the Chief of HNDGS and the other Chiefs, will be able to reveal what would have happened if we had not resisted with your help.

Of course, since I have the political responsibility, I must apologise for the things we did not achieve and assure you that we are aware that during the last seven years our active and retired cadres have gone through a great decrease of their income. Nevertheless, our active cadres and our veterans are still standing. There are no retired cadres. They are veterans and reserves and when the country calls them I am certain that they will all come to the frontline.

We know how to fight and I want to assure you that our country will no longer surrender the national sovereignty, as it happened these last years. It will not continue to surrender democracy, not being able to make its own decisions but receiving orders from others.

I want to assure you that when we are able to move more freely, we will try to make a restitution of this huge grievance which the active and retired cadres have suffered.

I would also like to address the relatives of the fallen heroes. I am aware that inside each family, apart from the honour of having the picture of a hero, there is also the tragedy of the family. I want to assure you that all the cadres of the Armed Forces, active and retired, the political leadership and the Greek people are members of your family. They suffer for the heroes fallen for faith and country, setting an example for tomorrow. You should know that we also stood firm with regards to the armaments of the Armed Forces.

I must of course congratulate the military leadership, all of the officers, NCOs and conscripts, because despite a 40% decrease in the budget of the Ministry of National Defence, they maintained the assets with personal work and responsibility. The Hellenic Navy maintained ships, although we did not have the means to do it or even the spare parts. Nevertheless, availability has now reached its highest point.

So I bow before the heroes, I pay the homage due to all the living veterans and from this sacred place I assure everyone that better days are ahead for our country and our Armed Forces.

Our duty when we take office or assume a military post is to hand over our country with at least the same territory which we received.

I want you to know that we are fully aware of that and that we Greeks and the Armed Forces are able not just to safeguard territorial integrity and national independence, but also to continue the glorious tradition of the Hellenic Navy and the Coastguard which you handed over to the younger generations.

May their memory be eternal”.