Chief of Staff Giorgos Sotiriou, who was for the second consecutive year the operator of the F-16 of the ZEUS team, speaks to SKAI about the message he conveyed to the Greek people during the military parade, as well as about his feelings.

“Today we honor those who said NO and flew above all fear. With wings of faith and honor we continue to guard the sky of the homeland. Happy Birthday Greece”was his message this year.

As he explained: “I chose this specific message because I believe that it perfectly expresses the meaning of the day, but not only that, it also expresses the spirit with which we serve our country every day, all the fliers, technicians and all the military. As for the “NO” I said in the message, to me the “NO” of ’40 was not just a word, it was an act of faith, courage and unity against an enemy who at the time seemed to be seemingly invincible.”

Regarding how he felt, Chief of Staff Giorgos Sotiriou said:

“Look, it’s definitely a demanding training, it’s not a simple thing, but over time and through the training itself, you suddenly feel like you can do it safely, because the number one thing for us is the safety of both our aircraft and primarily the people who are down there watching the demonstration. Certainly for me to have the honor of representing the Hellenic Air Force in the parade on October 28 is a deeply moving feeling, but at the same time it is also a responsibility for me. But my training has been done in such a way that during the flight I put all emotions aside.”