On Tuesday, 10 December 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attended the inauguration and handing over to Armed Forces personnel and their families of the new Military Housing apartments at “Karaiskakis” Camp in Haidari.

At the inauguration ceremony a blessing was performed by His Eminence, the Metropolitan of Nicaea Mr. Alexios.

After the ceremony, the Minister presented three military families with the keys to their apartments and subsequently he toured the new military housing area.

The Minister of National Defence stated in his address:

“I will make a brief personal mention, which concerns my presence here. I have served in Haidari. I received training at the NCO Candidate Company. Which was not a simple affair. I can remember 18 days of service for 1 day of liberty.

It is my joy to return, not to the “crime scene”, but to inaugurate these new apartments, which are part of this huge Housing Programme for 17,000 people, which we have began, and which will fully meet the Armed Forces’ needs.

Our presence here today, the inauguration of these new houses and handing them over to their beneficiaries as we near Christmas, demonstrate both to our personnel and to Greek society that the housing Programme is not just words or promises, but a reality, measured, whose costs have been calculated and funded, and which is implemented on schedule, by people determined to carry the task through.

I would like to mention that this is not a task disconnected from the challenge of defending the Country in the modern age. For there to be combat ready Armed Forces, their personnel must enjoy the quality of life they deserve, and which we are bound to guarantee. On the one hand, a pay rate equivalent to the service they provide the Country, and concerning which we are at a good stage. The new bill providing for these raises will be voted by the Hellenic Parliament on 8 January.

I was sorry we did not manage to vote it prior to Christmas, but – I said yesterday, and I will repeat today – the raises will apply retroactively from 1 October 2025.

But also with another set of benefits to the military family, the house, the home being one of them.

Anyone posted to a location not of his wishing, is entitled by the State to free and dignified housing by the state for him and his family. This is, therefore, what we are doing today.

It is not a single house. This is a Model Settlement, friendly to the environment, friendly to the broader Haidari and Western Attica area, and particularly to its inhabitants, with a broad array of conveniences: A green space, a children’s play area, a petrol station, and a commissary for their needs.

I will make a brief interlude to say that next year, together with the leadership of the Armed Forces, we will combat high prices.

We have guaranteed, that within 2026, our commissaries, unified under a new, modern, logistics system, will provide the military family shopping basket at prices 20 to 23% cheaper than those of the market.

All of the above, I hope, will manage to provide our personnel with the standard of living they deserve, without this meaning that we will not continue the effort.

I am happy, since, as of today, these new houses will be full of children’s voices, and will be a “nest” for 49 more military families.

I wish them the best, especially in view of the upcoming Christmas and New Year.

May you be in good health”.

Today’s handing over of the new Housing Complex at “Karaiskakis” Camp is yet another landmark in the continuous effort to upgrade the welfare for Armed Forces personnel. It is incorporated in the set of measures for the improvement of the living conditions of Armed Forces personnel.

With today’s handover, the “Karaiskakis” Complex has 121 completed apartments, while 150 are planned, of which 26 are in the bidding process.

In total, 49 apartments were handed over today, 37 of which at the “Karaiskakis” Complex, and 12 more in Kifissia, contributing to the broader coverage of housing needs in Attica.

Apart from the houses, the settlement has an array of conveniences, which are not solely addressed to the community’s residents: a petrol station, a supermarket, a cafeteria, a children’s play area, while a car wash and vehicle lubrication facility have also been constructed. Beyond all else, however, the most important future planning concerns the construction of a child care centre.

The new houses handed over today to Armed Forces’ personnel in Attica, as well as those under construction, fall under the first phase of the new Housing Programme carried out by the Armed Forces. In total, following the completion of the Programme’s three phases, 17,484 houses will have been handed over.

The programme’s aim is to provide housing for all Armed Forces personnel, who are posted to a location not of their wishing.

It is pointed out that the Housing Programme of the Ministry of National Defence is funded by its own resources, which means that its completion is guaranteed.

The inauguration and handover ceremony was also attended by the Chief/HNDGS, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Deputy Head of Region for Western Attica of the Region of Attica, Athanasia Papaspyrou, the Deputy Head of Region for the Western Sector of Athens of the Region of Attica, Charalambos Alexandratos, the Chief/HAGS, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief/HAFGS, Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, the Chief of Staff/HNGS Konstantinos Kontogiannakos HN, as representative of the Chief/HNGS, the Commanding General of the Supreme Military Command of the Interior and Islands, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Vakentis, the Commanding General of the Hellenic Army Support Military Command, Major General Antonios Theodosiadis, honorary Chiefs, active duty and retired officers and donors to the Armed Forces.