Minister of National Defence Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos Attends Celebrations for the 202nd Anniversary of the Liberation of Kalamata

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Minister of National Defence Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos Attends Celebrations for the 202nd Anniversary of the Liberation of Kalamata

March 23, 2023

On Thursday, 23 March 2023, the Minister of National Defence, Mr. Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, attended as representative of the Prime Minister, Mr. Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the Government the celebrations for the 202^ndanniversary of the Liberation of Kalamata.

Mr. Panagiotopoulos attended the doxology at the historical Church of Aghii Apostoli, officiated by His Eminence, the Metropolitan of Messinia, Mr. Chrysostomos, and then went to 23^isMartiou Square, where he attended the Roll Call of the chieftains who took part in the liberation of Kalamata on 23 March 1821 and the beginning of the Sacred Struggle.

Wreaths were laid at the Fallen Memorial by the Minister of National Defence, the MP for Messinia and former Deputy Minister of National Defence, Mr. Ioannis Lambropoulos, as representative of the Hellenic Parliament, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Konstantinos Floros, the Head of the Region of Peloponnese, Mr. Panaghiotis Nikas, and the Deputy Mayor of Kalamata, Mr. Sarantos Marinakis, as representative of the Mayor, followed by the National Anthem, a re-enactment of the liberation, and a parade of schoolchildren and chieftains with their groups.

After the events, Mr. Panagiotopoulos made the following statements:

NIKOLAOS PANAGIOTOPOULOS: It gives me great joy to be here in Kalamata today for the celebrations for the city's Liberation. It brings to mind these days when, thanks to the insight, cleverness, bravery, confidence, and decisiveness of the Peloponnesian Chieftains, led by Petrobey Mavromichalis, Theodoros Kolokotronis, Papaflessas, and others, the city of Kalamata was surrendered by the Ottoman administration to the Greeks virtually bloodlessly.

It is this example, self-sacrifice, contribution, and struggle of the Heroes of 1821 we are trying to draw inspiration and strength from in order to continue our efforts to deal with the current challenges, problems, and, sometimes, threats of a modern geopolitical environment that is very complex and unstable.

But with these people, these events, these struggles in mind, we feel stronger and more confident that we will endure.

Happy Liberation Day, Kalamata!

Happy Independence Day, Greece!

Journalist:Will our camp become active, Mr. Minister?

Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos: It's time, yes. The Newly-Recruited Soldier Training Centre of Kalamata is set to become active in the summer, as originally planned by the Military Leadership, with the approval of the Political Leadership of course.

Journalist: Mr. Minister, are we expecting soon the first aircraft at the upgraded Kalamata Air Base?

Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos: Quite right. The first Italian-made jet aircraft, the first of ten to be used for training our Air Force cadets, is scheduled to arrive at the International Training Centre of Kalamata next month, by 20 May if possible.

These are aircraft which are suitable for and relevant to the next generation of pilots, the cadets who will pilot the most advanced aircraft that gradually become available to the Hellenic Air Force.

I am referring, of course, to the "Rafale". As you know, the first dozen is already here and another is expected; but the future is the F-35, whose lengthy acquisition process will begin in the following days.

However, the training of our cadets, the training for quality cadets and a quality Air Force must continue and I think the first jet to arrive next month in Kalamata will greatly contribute to this effort.