Greek WWII veteran who donated entire estate to the Hellenic Armed Forces is honoured

·

Greek President, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, honoured Greek shipowner and WWII veteran, Iakovos Tsounis, on Wednesday after he willed his entire estate to the Greek armed forces earlier this month.

In a ceremony at the Presidential Mansion, Sakellaropoulou expressed her gratitude to the 97-year-old and awarded him with the Grand Cross of the Order of Honour, one of the most prestigious of all Greek honours.

The ceremony was also attended by the Greek Minister of National Defence, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Hellenic Armed Forces.

“I honor the patriot who was distinguished for his contribution to the homeland since his adolescence, when at the age of sixteen he enlisted as a volunteer in the Greek army and fought on the Albanian front,” the President said.

READ MORE: Greek WWII veteran gifts €23 million to Hellenic Armed Forces.

Sakellaropoulou also stressed that Mr Tsounis was a “real businessman who did not rest of his laurels” and his intention to bequeath his property to the Hellenic Armed Forces “is a deeply patriotic and exemplary act.”

For his part, Mr Tsounis thanked the President for bestowing the honour on him, while pointing out that his selfless offer to the homeland is a “supreme duty.”

The ceremony was also attended by the Minister of National Defence, Nikolaos Panagiotopoulos, the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Alkiviadis Stefanis, and the Chief of the General Staff of the Hellenic Armed Forces, General Konstantinos Floros.

Source: thetimes.gr.

Advertisement

Share:

KEEP UP TO DATE WITH TGH

By subscribing you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy.

Advertisement

Latest News

From crisis to compassion: Timos Roussos and his family’s mercy mission in war-torn Cyprus

When Turkish troops landed on Cyprus on 20 July 1974, six-year-old Timos Roussos was sitting on the floor of his family’s home in Lemesos.

A granddaughter returns: Georgia Georgiou retraces her yiayia’s occupied village in Cyprus

When Georgia Georgiou handed over her Cypriot ID at the border checkpoint to cross into occupied northern Cyprus, she felt an ache.

‘You never get over it’: A childhood shattered by the Turkish invasion of Cyprus

On a warm July morning in 1974, 10-year-old Anastasia Di Loreto (née Karatzia) was jolted awake by the sound of bombs falling on Kyrenia.

Cyprus: The paradox of tolerance and impunity for Turkey

The lack of a unified, systematic and practical strategy on the part of Greece has led the Cyprus crisis into national disarray.

Lost homes and lingering hope: Greek-Cypriots reflect on Turkish invasion and its aftermath

From hidden stories to haunting memories, two Greek-Cypriot men share what it means to carry the burden of Cyprus’ past.

You May Also Like

New deal with AstraZeneca means all Australians could receive free COVID-19 vaccine

The UK has reserved 100 million doses of the vaccine, and the Prime Minister hopes it could be rolled out in Australia by “early 2021.”

Explicit comics pulled from Australian store after SA MP Connie Bonaros’ complaints

Kinokuniya has pulled comics from its Sydney store after SA politician, Connie Bonaros, raised alarm they could be used by paedophiles to groom victims.

Cyprus on high alert as conflict in Lebanon escalates

Cyprus anxiously awaits instruction to activate their ‘Estia’ plan as other countries direct their citizens to evacuate Lebanon.