At the festivities for the anniversary of the Kolindros revolution (22/2/1878), the Greek government was represented today, Sunday, February 25, by the Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias.

Mr. Dendias attended the doxology at the Holy Church of Agia Paraskevi, which was officiated by the Most Reverend Metropolitan George of Kitrou, Katerinis and Platamonos.

Afterwards, a memorial service and laying of wreaths took place at the bust of Bishop Kitros Nikolaos Lousis, as well as a parade of students.

The events were attended by the representative of the Parliament of the Greeks MP Spyros Koulkoudinas, the Deputy Minister of Development Anna Mani – Papadimitriou, the MPs Konstantinos Giulekas – who was the keynote speaker at the Doxology – and Fondas Baraliakos, the Deputy Governor of Pieria Sofia Mavridou and the mayor of Pydna-Kolibandros Christos Kombatsiaris.

They were also present, the commander of the 3rd Army Corps, lieutenant general Athanasios Garinisas a representative of the Chief of the National Security Agency, representatives of the Security Forces, the local authorities and the regional and local self-government.

Mr. Dendias emphasized that it is “a special honor and a great pleasure to be present today here in Kolindros, on the 146th anniversary of the Olympus revolution, the Macedonian revolution against the Ottoman yoke”.

The revolution, he continued, was “another timeless symbol of the relationship of the Orthodox Clergy with the Greek Nation”.

“We must consolidate our national unity and our national like-mindedness, not as a virtue, but as an existential need to maintain the faith of all of us in the collective, in the collective effort that goes beyond the individual” he underlined.

“The Armed Forces”, he said, “are the uniformed expression of the community of Greek citizens”.

“The independence of states is not a given. We have to preserve it. And we are obliged to continue the effort of our ancestors. Because in order to exist you must be able to defend yourself” he explained.

The Ministry of National Defense must proceed “quickly in the reform of the Armed Forces of our country”.

“To formulate”, he continued, a national strategy based on the “2030 agenda” for the reform of the Armed Forces.

And, he concluded, “to respond to the challenges of today’s times and the times to come, because this reform is not a political priority but a necessary condition of our national survival”.