The Minister of National Defence Dimitris Avramopoulos attended the handover ceremony of the War Flag of Ieros Lochos (“Sacred Band”) in the 13th Special Operations Command, “Lt.Col. Fakinos” army camp.
The ceremony was also attended by the Deputy Minister of Defence, Athanasios Davakis, the Chief of HNDGS, Gen. Michail Kostarakos, the Chief of HAGS, Lt. Gen. Athanasios Tselios, the Chief of HNGS, Vice Admiral Evangelos Apostolakis and the Chief of HAFGS Lt. Gen. Evangelos Tournas.
Mr. Avramopoulos addressed the following statement during the ceremony:
“Today’s highly symbolic ceremony reminds us of some of the most heroic moments of Greece’s Armed Forces.
The “Sacred Band” is a tradition in Greek history. It dates back to our remote past, it was related to heroic deeds and sacrifices during the independence war and was formed again very recently, during World War II.
It demonstrates something superior and noble, the deeper meaning of pure love to one’s country. And the example of the officers, who quitted their ranks over a period to serve as simple privates in the great fight for freedom and independence, is today bequeathed to the Greek Armed Forces, but it conveys a message to the Greek people as well: that we must do our best to defend our country.
Honourable representative of the church, Chiefs, Sacred Band Veterans, I wish today, on behalf of the Greek state, to pay tribute to this heroic act and say that we too, as representatives of the Greek people and state, receive these messages in these dire times for our country.
Chief, for your decision to restore this heirloom and give it content and sense again – because, as I have been informed, it existed over many decades but it was neglected and forgotten – you deserve honours. It is a decision that honours the leadership of the Armed Forces altogether who, despite our difficult times and always loyal and consistent to this duty, keep following these noble principles.
Commander, your unit is awarded this Flag today. The commitments you made earlier are mostly commitments to the country and I wish to congratulate you because, with your words, you remind everybody that the Greek Armed Forces are always ready to respond in a spirit of self-sacrifice and self-denial to our supreme national benefit.
We do not ignore that today’s ceremony is held under particularly difficult circumstances for our country. Besides, you stressed that too. But it is held under particularly difficult circumstances for the great family of the Armed Forces as well.
On behalf of the Greek state I would like to assure you that although we are pressured by the financial situation we, all together, military and political leaders, will fight to prevent anything from further aggravating the already adverse circumstances under which you perform your duties.
And this is a message I would like to send throughout the Armed forces, regardless of ranks, all over the country.
In this context, I wish to congratulate you again and assure you in my turn that we all stand by the armed forces, always ready to respond to our duties. And this is the message we want to send today to the Greek people.
I congratulate you once again and I pay my tribute and respect to those great Greek soldiers, cadres of the Greek Armed Forces, some of whom are today among us and I would like to tell them that it is our duty not to forget, it is our duty to honour and mainly, be, in our turn, ready to respond, if our duty ever calls us, to this noble purpose we all serve together.
Thank you.”