The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias attended today, Tuesday 28 October 2025, the parade of military and civilian detachments in Thessaloniki for the National Anniversary of the 28th October 1940, before His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas and the Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
The representative of the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament Stratos Simopoulos, the European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the president of PASOK-Movement for Change Nikos Androulakis, the president of SYRIZA-Progressive Alliance Sokratis Famellos, the president of NIKI Dimitris Natsios, a representative of the president of the Greek Solution, European MP Emmanouil Fragkos, the Defence Minister of the Republic of Cyprus Vasilis Palmas, the Deputy Ministers of Interior (responsible for Macedonia – Thrace matters) Kostas Gkioulekas, of Health Dimitris Vartzopoulos, of Development (responsible for matters of research and innovation) Stavros Kalafatis, of Labour and Social Security Anna Efthymiou, of Social Cohesion & the Family Elena Rapti, the Secretary General of HMoND Antonios Ikonomou, the Secretary of the Decentralised Administration of Macedonia – Thrace Dimitris Galamatis, the Head of the Central Macedonia Region Athina Aidona, the Mayor of Thessaloniki Stelios Aggeloudis, as well as the Most Holy Metropolitan Bishop of Thessaloniki Mr Filotheos observed the parade from the dais of the officials.
Other attendees were various MPs, the Chief of HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, the Chief of the National Guard General Staff Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief of HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios-Eleftherios Kataras HN and the Chief of HAFGS Lieutenant General (Pilot) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, the leadership of the Security Forces, representatives of foreign diplomatic delegations, productive bodies and associations, as well as thousands of citizens.
After the conclusion of the parade Mr Dendias made the following statement via post on social media:
“Today, on 28th October, we pay tribute to the Greeks who opposed the fascist and Nazi plot by saying “NO”.
This year’s parade highlighted the first visible sample of the Hellenic Armed Forces’ transition to the New Age.
It was not a parade just for the sake of morale.
It was a parade of innovation, which can furthermore enhance morale.
An innovation detachment marched for the first time, embodying the transformation of the Armed Forces to a modern, technologically advanced and operationally independent deterrence force.
Through new armament programmes, unmanned assets and modern technologies, we steadily move forward on a course of reforms which respond to the challenges of our times.
We are proud of the women and men of the Armed Forces, who paraded today with honour.
They defend, throughout time, the National Sovereignty and the Sovereign Rights of our Homeland, devoted to their constitutional duty.
The Minister of National Defence visited, early in the morning, the construction site of the University Children’s Hospital of Thessaloniki, currently under construction by grant of the “Stavros Niarchos” Foundation, at Fillyro – Thessaloniki. There he was briefed by a member of the Board of Directors of the “Stavros Niarchos” Foundation, Honorary Ambassador Giannis Raptakis on the new hospital, which constitutes part of the Global Health Initiative.
Following that, Mr Dendias had a private meeting with the Defence Minister of the Republic of Cyprus Vasilios Palmas, at the Thessaloniki Garrison Officers Club. The two Ministers talked, among other things, about the Greece – Cyprus Defence Cooperation and the latest international developments pertaining to security issues. Furthermore, they exchanged views regarding the cooperation perspective between Greece and Cyprus for the joint participation and drafting of plans, which will be funded by the SAFE programme of the European Union, in various fields, such as research and innovation.
Before the parade, the Minister of National Defence went to the Heroes Memorial of the Supreme Military Command of Epirus – Macedonia, where a memorial service was officiated by the Most Holy Metropolitan Bishop of Thessaloniki Mr Filotheos and His Excellency the President of the Hellenic Republic Konstantinos Tasoulas laid a wreath.
