He attended the commemorative events held in Leros on the 81st anniversary of the sinking of the destroyer “Queen Olga” by German bombers, which resulted in the death of the commander Admiral Georgios Blessas and 69 other crew members, today, Thursday, September 26 , the Minister of National Defense.

THE Nikos Dendiasin his speech, referred to the right of all islands to Dodecaneseto have EEZ and territorial waters at 12 miles, “just as the International Convention on the Law of the Sea provides”, emphasizing characteristics.

The minister was accompanied by the head of the GETHA general Dimitrios Houpis and the head of the GES lieutenant general Georgios Kostidis.

Mr. Dendias attended the Doxology at the Holy Cathedral of Agios Nikolaos, in Lakki of Leros, presided over by His Eminence Metropolitan Paisios of Leros, Kalymnos and Astypalaia, co-officiant of the Theophilest Bishop of Stratonikeia, the chaplain of the Naval Archimandrite and Colonel Religious Father Alex of Istratoglou and the holy clergy of the island.

This was followed by a memorial service and laying of wreaths at the Fallen Memorial.

Also present were the MPs of Dodecanese Ioannis Pappas, Emmanuel Consolas, Vassilios-Nikolaos Ypsilantis, the Commander of the Navy (Director of the Navy) Takis, the commander of ASDEN Lieutenant General Emmanuel Theodorou, the Commander of 80 ADTE Brigadier General Pavlos Andrikopoulos, the Port Commander of Leros Vice Captain LS Christos Andrianis, the Attaché of Defense of the United Kingdom Captain Samuel James Law, relatives and representatives of the fallen and survivors of the destroyer “Queen Olga” and the of British “Intrepid”, representatives of Security Forces, agencies and clubs, teachers, as well as school and club delegations.

“Each loss becomes meaningful when it is placed in a larger context and on a course, so that it is an element of memory for generations to come. For the next generations of the Navy. For the next generations of the Greek people” emphasized Mr. Dendias.

“We are living,” he pointed out, “in a period of rapid geopolitical developments. The geostrategic importance of the islands of the Dodecanese, the Archipelago, is, I think, obvious to everyone. The proximity to the Greek-Turkish border, which I will not tire of reminding, also constitutes the European border, is the crucial element in this case.”

“Leros and all – I repeat all – the islands of the Dodecanese have a right to a continental shelf, they have a right to an Exclusive Economic Zone and they have a right to territorial waters up to 12 miles, just as the International Convention on the Law of the Sea provides, which is also customary law and binds everyone, i.e. those and all countries that have not signed it” he clarified.

“The Greek State is not here today just to pay the due tribute. It is also to indicate that the Armed Forces remain a helper in the society of Leros and the inhabitants of the Dodecanese and in peace. In all the difficult situations they may be called upon to face. It is the duty of the Hellenic Armed Forces and their high priority to support the societies in our critical areas” he underlined.

“We are,” he said, “all here bound by the constitutional obligation to maintain a strong, free and safe Nation, a safe, free and independent homeland.”

After the ceremony, Mr. Dendias boarded the gunboat “Aettitos” and went to the spot where the destroyer sank with its heroic crew on September 26, 1943, where he laid a laurel wreath. The visit to Leros concluded with a visit to the National Guard Club of Leros.