The Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendias participated today, Monday 7 October, in the meeting of the defense ministers of the Adriatic and Ionian Initiative (ADRION), which took place in Venice, and during his intervention he emphasized that the ADRION initiative is a model of successful regional cooperation in areas of major priority and importance, such as maritime security and interoperability of the Navy of the member states of the initiative.

As announced, the meeting of the defense ministers of the initiative – in which Greece holds the presidency from June 2024 until May 2025 – was also attended by the Minister of Defense of Albania Pirro VenguCroatian Deputy Minister of Defense Drago Matavonić, Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto, Montenegrin Deputy Minister of Defense Marco Marković and Slovenian Deputy Minister of Defense Damir Ćrncec.

Mr. Dendias also emphasized that through the activities of the ADRION initiative, the means and mechanisms of the ADRION countries against challenges and joint maritime surveillance are strengthened, which contributes to security in the Mediterranean, an area of ​​utmost importance for wider European security , economic development, free trade, protection of the marine environment and energy security.

He also pointed out that ADRION initiative is based on full respect for the sovereignty, territorial integrity, independence and sovereign rights of all States, in accordance with International Law and the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).