The Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias visited today, Wednesday 25 December 2024, Alexandroupoli, for the celebration of Christmas, accompanied by the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis.
Mr Dendias attended the Holy Liturgy of Christmas, at the Holy Metropolitan Church of Saint Nikolaos, officiated by His Eminence the Metropolitan Bishop of Alexandroupoli Mr Anthimos.
Other attendees were the MPs Stavros Keletsis and Anastasios Dimoschakis, the Head of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region Christodoulos Topsidis, the Mayor of Alexandroupoli Giannis Zaboukis and the Vice Head of the Evros Regional Unit of the Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Region Vaggelis Poulilios.
After the Holy Liturgy of Christmas, Nikos Dendias met at the Alexandroupoli Bishopric with His Eminence the Metropolitan Bishop Mr Anthimos.
Subsequently, the Minister of National Defence, in the presence of the Commander of the D’ Army Corps “THRACE” Lieutenant General Stavros Papastathopoulos and the Commander of the ΧΙΙ Mechanised Infantry Division “EVROS” Major General Ioannis Korres, visited the Gefyra Kipon, where he exchanged wishes for the Christmas holiday with the guards on duty on the borderline.
Subsequently, Mr Dendias went to the Surveillance Outpost of “Gefyra Kipon” where he talked and exchanged wishes with the personnel.
The Minister of National Defence stated from the Evros Gefyra Kipon Surveillance Outpost:
“Ladies and gentlemen,
I stand here today, with great pleasure, on the day of the Birth of our Lord Jesus Christ, in the area of Kipi – Evros. Meaning, the eastern land borders of our Homeland and the eastern land borders of the European Union.
In an exceptionally critical geographical space, where Greece proves its significant role daily.
As a factor of geopolitical stability, as a factor of energy security, in the Balkans as well as the wider region of the Mediterranean.
Abiding by the rules of International Law. Abiding by the rules of the Law of the Sea.
Refraining from fabricated arguments. Refraining from threats. Refraining from perceptions of dominance, leading to dead-ends.
Never disputing the rights of the other countries in the region.
But always ready to defend our sovereignty and our own sovereign rights.
Ladies and gentlemen,
The Christmas holiday is a holiday of light. It is the holiday of hope.
Therefore, with this in mind, I would like to express my sense of pride for the women, the men, the members in general, of our Homeland’s Armed Forces.
Those, who with devotion, self-denial, away from their loved ones, on days such as these, guard our Homeland. This means that they are fulfilling their constitutional duty, for a strong, free and secure Greece.
Many happy returns. God bless you”.
