The Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr Giannis Kefalogiannis visited yesterday, Thursday 18 July 2024, Kastoria, accompanied by the Chief of HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis and the Commander of C’ Army Corps Lieutenant General Athanasios Garinis.
Mr Kefalogiannis visited the premises of the 15th Infantry Regiment, received by the Commander Colonel (INF) Thomas Georgiadis and was briefed on its organisation, structure, mission and current activities.
There he met and talked with Members of the Kastoria and Nestorio National Guard Battalions, whom he thanked for their selfless contribution to the protection of the territorial integrity of our Homeland. At the same time, he underlined the significance attributed to the National Guard by the Ministry of National Defence, with the recent passage of a new legal framework which constitutes a valuable tool for upgrade and evolution and it provides capabilities which can improve all the aspects of Strategy for the National Guard.
He then went to the “GRAMMOS” Surveillance Outpost”, received by the Commander of 574 Motorised Infantry Battalion Lt Col (INF) Anastasios Karathanasis, where he was given a tour of the outpost, he was briefed on its staffing and talked with the members and the military service soldiers who staff it.
The Deputy Minister went to the Holy Monastery of Kastoria and met with His Eminence the Metropolitan Bishop of Kastoria Mr Kallinikos.
Subsequently, he had meetings with the Deputy Head of the Kastoria Region Mr Dimitrios Savvopoulos at the Kastoria Regional Unit and the Mayor of Kastoria Mr Ioannis Korentsidis at the city’s town hall.
The visits were attended by the Kastoria MP Ms Maria Antoniou.
After the conclusion of the visits, the Deputy Minister of National Defence made the following statement:
“From the borderland of Kastoria, we are sending a resounding message of readiness and deterrence. I visited the 15th Infantry Regiment and the “GRAMMOS” Surveillance Outpost where, after being briefed on the activities and the work conducted, I had the opportunity to talk with the members of the Armed Forces and the Members of the Kastoria and Nestorio National Guard Battalions and express to them my gratitude for the dedication with which they protect the territorial integrity of our Homeland.
I am feeling proud of the quality, the morale and the professionalism of the women and men of the Armed Forces. I would like to assure you that the Ministry of National Defence will always be at your side, supporting the efforts, recognising the work and trying to find ways to bolster your income and to improve your living conditions. The immense military residence-building project implemented throughout the country, falls into this context. A project which, when concluded, will cover a very large part of our members’ housing requirements, essentially bolstering their income”.
