Greek Elections: National Defence ministry hand-over is completed
Outgoing National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias handed over the ministry to new minister Panos Kammenos at the ministry, following the new government's swearing-in ceremony on Tuesday.
The hand-over ceremony was kept low-key due to a three-day mourning period declared after an accident of a Greek F-16 taking part in military exercises in Spain, during which the two Greek pilots died, along with eight others on the ground and several who were injured. A minute of silence was also kept before the start of the ceremony, while both outgoing and incoming ministers expressed their condolences to the families.
Kammenos said that the new government was concerned with restoring pay injustices in armed forces personnel, and listed the ministries priorities that include finding funds for new armaments programmes and maintaining current ones; restarting the defence industry, including its exports; expanding agreements with other countries; reviewing new threats to security; and reviving relations with countries not currently in NATO.
The ceremony was also attended by the outgoing alternate minister, deputy minister, secretary general, the new alternate and deputy ministers, armed forces personnel from all branches except the Air Force Staff chief who is in Spain because of the accident, and other officers.
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