Dendias: Strong and modern armed forces 'absolutely essential' for Greece

Greece must have strong and modern armed forces to defend its national interests and critical infrastructure, National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias stressed on Wednesday, in his address to the East Macedonian & Thrace Forum II in Alexandroupolis.

Talking about Thrace, he said it was a "shining example of the coexistence of Greek citizens of different faiths", while highlighting the region's geopolitical importance for Greece's interests in the Black Sea, the Balkans and the Mediterranean. He also referred to the crucial role of Alexandroupolis as an important commercial, economic, energy and defence hub, while stressing the need for connectivity for economic growth.

"There cannot be synergies without it," Dendias commented, welcoming an EU initiative for a map charting the rail freight corridor from the Baltic Sea to the Black Sea and the Aegean Sea.

He also highlighted Thrace's importance as an energy hub, saying it was essential for Greece to be able to protect and defend this infrastructure by having a powerful and modern military. Talking about the "Agenda 2030" for the armed forces, he explained that this will respond to existing challenges but also to challenges now "beyond the horizon" with a different structure and a different outlook, a modern national service and reservist model and the development of the domestic arms industry.

"We must create a defence ecosystem which our human capital is eminently capable of serving," he added.

The East Macedonia & Thrace Forum was organised for the second consecutive year by City Hub Events of the Alter Ego group, in collaboration with Tsomokos Communications.