The Minister of National Defense, Nikos Dendias, visited Alexandroupoli today, for the Christmas celebration, accompanied by the head of the GES, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis.

As announced, Mr. Dendias attended the Christmas Divine Liturgy, at the Holy Metropolitan Church of Agios Nikolaos, under the patronage of His Eminence Metropolitan Anthimos of Alexandroupolis.

The MPs Stavros Keletsis and Anastasios Dimoshakis, the regional governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Christodoulos Topsidis, the mayor of Alexandroupolis Yiannis Zamboukis and the deputy regional governor of the Evros Regional Unit of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace Vangelis Poulilios were also present.

After the Christmas Divine Liturgy, Nikos Dendias met at the Episcopate of Alexandroupolis with His Eminence the Metropolitan Flower.

Afterwards, the Minister of National Defense, in the presence of the commander of the 4th Army Corps “Thrace” Lt. Gen. Stavros Papastathopoulos and the commander of the XII Mechanized Infantry Division “Evros” Lt. Gen. Ioannis Korres, visited the Gardens Bridge, where he exchanged wishes for the holiday of Christmas with the purposes on the border.

Subsequently, Mr. Dendias went to the surveillance post “Garden Bridge” where he conversed and exchanged greetings with the staff.

“It is with great joy that I am here today, on the day of the Nativity of the God-Man, in the Gardens of Evros. That is, on the eastern land borders of our Country and on the eastern land borders of the European Union” the Minister of National Defense said from the observation post of the Evros Gardens Bridge.

“In an extremely critical geographical area, where Greece proves its important role every day. As a factor of geopolitical stability, as a factor of energy security, both in the Balkans and in the wider Mediterranean region” pointed out Mr. Dendias.

And he continued: “Following the rules of International Law. Adhering to the rules of the Law of the Sea. Away from ideologies. Away from threats. Away from perceptions of hegemony that lead to dead ends. Never questioning the rights of other countries in the region. But always ready to defend sovereignty and our own sovereign rights”.

“Christmas is a celebration of light. It is a celebration of hope. In this climate, I would also like to express my sense of pride towards the women, men, officers in general of the Armed Forces of our country. Those, who with devotion, with self-sacrifice, away from their loved ones on such days guard our homeland. In other words, they fulfill their constitutional duty, for a strong, free and safe Greece” concluded Mr. Dendias.