The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias inaugurated today, Saturday 6 September 2025, the Pavilion of the Ministry of National Defence at the 89th Thessaloniki International Fair, accompanied by the Deputy Chief of National Defence Thanasis Davakis, the Chief/HNDGS General Dimitrios Choupis, the Secretary General of the Ministry of National Defence Antonios Oikonomou, the Chief/HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the Chief/HNGS Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras and the Chief/HAFGS Lieutenant General Dimosthenis Grigoriadis.
The Ministry of National Defence participates in this year’s Thessaloniki International Fair with the central message being: “Transition to the New Era”.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by the President of the Hellenic Parliament Nikitas Kaklamanis, the Minister of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection Giannis Kefalogiannis, the Deputy Minister of the Interior responsible for issues of Macedonia-Thrace Konstantinos Gioulekas, the Deputy Minister of Justice Giannis Bougas, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Food Giannis Andrianos, the Minister of Rural Development and Food Christos Kellas, the Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Stefanos Gikas, the Deputy Minister of Digital Governance Christos Dermetzopoulos, as well as the Vice President of the Parliament Athanasios Bouras.
Also present were MPs, representatives of the Regional and Local Self-administration, His Eminence the Metropolitan of Thessaloniki Filotheos, the Chief of the Hellenic Police Lieutenant General Dimitrios Mallios, the Chief of the Port Police-Hellenic Coast Guard Vice Admiral Tryfon Kontizas, the General Director of Defence Armaments and Investments of the Ministry of National Defence Major General Ioannis Bouras, the President of the Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation (HCDI) Pandelis Tzortzakis, the President and CEO of the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) Vice Admiral (ret.) Alexandros Diakopoulos and others.
The Minister of National Defence in his address stated the following:
“Ladies and Gentlemen,
It is with great pleasure that I welcome you to the pavilion of the Ministry of National Defence at the 89th Thessaloniki International Fair.
The goal of the Ministry’s presence here this year, besides the projection of the continuous contribution of the Armed Forces to society, is the presentation of the Transition to the New Era.
This Transition to the New Era that the “Agenda 2030” serves.
A total, holistic transformation of the Armed Forces that upgrades our defence capabilities with a new Deterrence Doctrine and a new Structure. Also with a nexus of policies to support the personnel of the Armed Forces and upgrade their professional career.
With modern investment in Innovation and modern investment in the domestic defence industry.
With an explicit armaments programme for almost 20 years, for the first time in the History of Greece.
A new approach, a new philosophy!
The “Agenda 2030” is here, in the Thessaloniki International Fair which mainly has a financial content, therefore I should explain that it has a clear financial imprint.
First basic rule, the strict observance of the rules of the financial discipline, of the financial framework.
I reckon that here in Greece we must not forget that one of the two great problems that led the country in bankruptcy in 2010, is its massive Public Debt.
The Medium-term Programming of Defence Armaments safeguards the acquirement of the necessary assets of the Armed Forces within the anticipated financial framework.
We put an end to old practices, such as “we buy whatever we find, no matter the cost, as it is, when we find it. These practices, which are well-known to us, damaged our Country both financially and morally.
Therefore, we make sure that the 30 billion from the hard-earned money of the Greek tax payer will cover the ever-increasing needs, yet strictly respecting the financial framework. The country cannot jeopardise its future.
A country that is not financially strong cannot be strong in terms of defence as well.
This is the reason why I did not announce the participation of Greece in the SAFE Programme, before the Ministry of Finance would confirm the necessary additional fiscal place – I have made it clear, the last time being the day before yesterday, in the Parliament.
The second big problem of the Greek economy which, along with the first led us to bankruptcy in 2010, is the deficit in the balance of current payments. To say it in simple words, the fact that we have much more imports than exports.
At this level, the “Agenda 2030” has a clear developmental and exporting imprint. We make the Armed Forces a lever of development for the Greek economy. We also create the conditions for an organized development system of defence innovation.
The Hellenic Centre of Defence Innovation (HCDI), which has already one year of existence, implements eleven cutting-edge programmes, and has declared ten more.
Our crowning achievement, until now, is the Greek anti-drone “Centaur”. An anti-drone system that was designed by Greeks, it was tested in practice in real war conditions in the Red Sea, it shot down two drones and, from there, it will be present in all Navy Units.
We are proud of “Centaur”, which costs us less than 50% than a system we would buy from abroad, without Greek participation.
Here in Thessaloniki, I feel the need to refer to extroversion, industry, innovation, because I want to be clear: The country should and can produce more wealth.
Our Gross National Product must reach levels where our country will be financially sound. The “Agenda 2030” aims at this. We also aim at saving money.
All the increases of the wages of the Armed Forces valid from October 1st 2025, all the increases for our Soldiers valid from January 1st 2026, and the largest part of our Housing Programme, the biggest ever in the history of modern Greece. Until 2030, we have scheduled to construct 5,000 houses. Approximately 1,050 houses will be ready by June 2026. They are constructed thanks to our own saving, without increasing the Budget, without increasing the cost for the Greek tax payer.
We are ready to provide our know-how regarding the Housing Programme to the wider Public Sector, so as to satisfy the massive needs of the Greek society.
I have repeatedly said that the benefits, such as the rent allowance, can only partially relieve and, in the long-term, it is not facing the problem, it only makes it worse. We subsidize the demand whereas, with the provision of more houses, we must subsidize the offer.
I conclude: What we do at the Ministry of National Defence is to leverage the private will to help the Country. We have the largest donations programme in the last years.
In the last two years, we have already counted up donations that are approaching 40 million euros. We will continue to do so, because Greece relies on the tradition of donors. The wealthy Greeks who want to offer their surplus – not to mention many times their deficit, as far as small donors are concerned – to the Armed Forces and to the great commodity of security for the Greek citizen.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
The country has the perspective of economic recovery and national uplift. It has limitless capabilities, limitless perspectives, yet us Greeks must first believe in them, develop them, promote them, make them real.
I warmly thank you”.
Afterwards, Mr. Dendias also attended the inauguration ceremony of the Ministry of Climate Crisis & Civil Protection.
