On Friday 7 February 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias, accompanied by the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis and the Commanding General of C’ Army Corps / NRDC – GR, Lieutenant General Athanasios Garinis, visited the the 9^th Motorised Infantry Brigade “Andrianoupoli” in Kozani.

The Minister was received by the Commanding General of the Brigade, Brigadier General Anastasios Vasiliou, who briefed him on the mission and capabilities of the Brigade.

After the briefing, Mr. Dendias made the following statement to the personnel of the 9^th Motorised Infantry Brigade.

“It is a great pleasure for me to be here in the Headquarters of the 9^th Motorised Infantry Brigade, in Kozani. A formation, which has written glorious pages in the book of history.

However, for me personally, it was an opportunity to be briefed here, after doing so in the 8^th Brigade in Ioannina, as regards the progress included in the New Structure of Forces, which was approved of by the Parliament and the Governmental National Security Council recently, and which is currently being implemented.

I will also visit the 10^th Brigade in Serres, accompanied by the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff and the Commanding General of C’ Army Corps, so that I can have a full picture of how this reorganisation is being implemented in the three Brigades (8^th, 9^th, 10^th Brigades), which share responsibility in the mainland.

The New Structure of Forces is not something autonomous. It is part of a greater reformation of our Armed Forces within the “Agenda 2030”, along with armaments programmes, in the framework of which, I very recently had the opportunity to present the new gear of the “Greek Fighter”, namely the gear of the 21^st Century, at the Hellenic Army Academy. A complete change in everything that we know of today.

I would like to conclude by saying the following: It is evident that our Country is facing threats. Even if we wanted to forget about it, we are reminded of it daily, through various statements or actions. If we want to be able to respond and deter those threats – as you know our doctrine is to be deterrent – we must radically improve our capabilities. This is what the “Agenda 2030” does.

Only yesterday, I observed a drone demonstration in Mount Olympus. All these factors lead us to the new age. To an age of power, in which the Armed Forces of our Country will continue to ensure the security and prosperity of Greek citizens, through their self-sacrifice.

Thank you”.

Following, the Minister was received by His Grace the Metropolitan of Servia and Kozani, Mr. Pavlos, at the Metropolitan’s Residence and also met the Head of Region for Western Macedonia, Giorgos Amanatidis, in the presence of MPs for Kozani Stathis Konstadinidis and Michalis Papadopoulos.