New Year’s Eve carols were sung to the Minister of National Defence Panos Kammenos by the Armed Forces joint band and the Pontian Association of Nikea-Korydallos.
The Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the Chief of HNDGS Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis, the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Vasileios Tellidis, the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Georgios Giakoumakis, the Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General Christos Vaitsis and the General Secretary Ioannis Tafyllis.
The Minister of National Defence extended the following message, in view of the New Year’s Eve:
“From the bottom of my heart, I would like to wish to all Officers, NCOs, Privates, Seamen, Airmen, National Guards, Reserve and Retired Officers of the Armed Forces, but also to the entire Greek people, Many Happy Returns and a Happy New Year.
In the year 2015, the Ministry of National Defence, the country’s Armed Forces, despite the financial crisis and notwithstanding the extensive cuts they experienced, remained on their feet. The Greek Armed Forces responded to every challenge, every threat, each day, on land, sea and in the air. The country’s national sovereignty and territorial integrity were appropriately ensured. The high morale, despite the massive shrinkage of the personnel’s financial status, is the guarantee for the safeguarding of our national sovereignty and territorial integrity.
The year to come is a year of recovery, a year that will give us the opportunity to rectify any mistakes of the past and heal the wounds. It is a year when our priority will be our personnel and logistics. It is a year when our priority will be our combat Units at the borderline, Evros and the islands. They are immediately staffed by the privates enlisted and, through a fair mode for transferring, they all serve their active duty, without discriminations.
It is a year during which we will enhance even more the conditions for Greek conscripts and permanent personnel. It is a year during which we will further honour our heroes; not only the ones fallen at war, which we respectfully honour, but also those who have fallen during peacetime. Since the Armed Forces ensure peace.
However, every day we experience various challenges in the Aegean Sea and within Greek airspace. In Greek territorial waters, we have ships with Officers, NCOs and Seamen, who daily ensure our national integrity and sovereignty. In the skies, we struggle against the violations constantly performed by Turkish aircraft. As far as the Army is concerned, Greek Officers, NCOs and privates are present at the borders and on the islets, ensuring peace. Yet, the fallen during peacetime, are fallen heroes.
Concluding, I would like to say that it is a year that will give us the occasion to celebrate in all Units of the Armed Forces the honouring of the Genocide of Pontian Hellenism and, in collaboration with the Defence Ministry of Armenia, the Armenian Genocide. The peoples who forget are the peoples who perish and the Greek people do not forget, nor will they perish.
Many happy returns to everyone”.
