Defence Minister Nikos Dendias has announced the creation of a new drone and anti-drone training school in Tripolis, southern Greece, highlighting the government’s focus on innovation and advanced technology to strengthen the Armed Forces, tovima.com has reported.
Speaking at commemorations of the 204th anniversary of the fall and liberation of Tripolitsa, Dendias, representing Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, linked the historic struggle of 1821 to current national responsibilities.
“The survival of Hellenism is our constitutional and national duty. Our country’s security is not a given, especially in today’s geopolitical environment. It requires both strong alliances and strong Armed Forces,” he said, presenting the initiative as part of the government’s “Agenda 2030” for defense modernization.
The new facility will specialize in autonomous aerial vehicles and counter-drone systems, transforming Tripolis into a modern defense hub. “You will soon see the evolution from a traditional conscript training centre into a hub where innovation, new technologies and advanced capabilities become the main element of our Armed Forces,” Dendias noted, adding that the shift will also benefit the local community.
He stressed the need for “equipped, flexible and capable Armed Forces” to meet today’s challenges, reminding that “political cost should be irrelevant when national survival is at stake.”
Reflecting on 1821, Dendias called the Fall of Tripolitsa a decisive moment in the War of Independence: “The generation of 1821 handed us the measure of responsibility through their struggle. They achieved the revival of Hellenism.”
He also pointed to the paradoxes of Greek history: “It includes both virtue and treason… But day and light prevail over night and darkness. Our responsibility is to keep Greece strong and resilient.”
Events included memorial services, wreath-laying, and a military parade attended by officials, clergy, and citizens.
Source: tovima.com
