The factor that ensures the feeling of security is the Armed Forces in the context of a political prevention of any potential threat against territorial sovereignty, against our sovereign rights.

Deterrence is not Defense. Defense is the weapon systems that exist and may never have to be used. This is National Defense. Deterrence is a stage before Defense. Deterrence is deterrence, it’s all the actions that need to be taken in order for anyone with ambitions against our territorial sovereignty to do the math, put them down and come to the conclusion that they better not venture anything because if they venture the cost that will suffer will be too great. This was emphasized, among others, by the Minister of National Defense Nikos Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos at a celebratory event of the Chamber of Boeotia, which took place in a multipurpose hall in Orchomenos.

As announced, on behalf of the Chamber’s administration, the president Panagiotis Agniadis awarded N. Panagiotopoulos for his contribution to the effort to strengthen and shield the Armed Forces, throughout his tenure at the Ministry of National Defense.

In addition, the minister and the regional governor of Central Greece, Fanis Spanos, presented awards honorary awardsa to mayors of Boeotia.

For her award and the work at the ministry, N. Panagiotopoulos underlined that what is being done “is not the work of one person but is the result of a hard collective effort”.

As he said “it’s like running a marathon at sprint pace, that’s the point, that’s the difficulty, but now we have to run even faster. And that’s what we’ll do because otherwise it can’t be done.”

He pointed out that “in order to exist economic development, for there to be progress, for there to be social and economic activity, the feeling of security must first be valid”. “The feeling of security”, he added, “in difficult times, because today more than ever, the world is tested by a series of challenges and threats. The world has suddenly become darker and more dangerous. I assure you that it is not easy, nor a simple matter to manage this reality as well”.

“One of the main directions of the Mitsotakis government, apart from strengthening the Armed Forces, concerns the enhancement of the overall geopolitical footprint of the country through a very intensive effort to cultivate, build and strengthen strategic alliances with countries, allies and partners, who more or less share the same views as us regarding security issues and challenges in the region,” he said .

“Thus”, he continued, “the amendments to the Mutual Defense Agreement with the USA were made, while within a few days the American Foreign Minister will come to Athens to continue the so-called strategic dialogue between the two countries. The results in favor of our country are obvious, from Chania and Souda to Alexandroupoli, which is really experiencing an incredible renaissance with the investments and movements that are taking place over there in the port.”

In the same direction, the minister emphasized that “the bilateral strategic agreement with the French which includes the Mutual Defense Assistance Clause. This is how agreements were made with other countries such as Saudi Arabia, Israel, the Emirates, Egypt, such as the one I signed the other day in Great Britain with my British counterpart.”

Regarding the Greek Defense Industry, he said that “through the crisis that was created, Greece suddenly entered all the discussions regarding investment efforts or investment penetrations and our defense industry, which is certainly not in the best condition it could be, but now it has suddenly become a pole of interest.”

For the stake ahead of the elections he called on the citizens “to think very seriously about being led to the right decisions, so that the country can move into the new era with faith in its strengths, faith in its capabilities and the ability to become even better than it is.”

THE key word, as he said, is “resilience”. “It is the condition where one endures the difficult and prepares to face even more. As I like to say when addressing officers of the Armed Forces, in difficult times strong, in even more difficult times, even stronger”, concluded the Minister of National Defense.