A clear message that “no accusation and censure directed against the Hellenic Coast Guard will be accepted”, was sent by the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Mr. Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, during his visit to Mytilene.
In particular, Mr. Varvitsiotis visited the Central Port Authority of Mytilene and then inspected the vessels of the Hellenic Coast Guard.
In his statements to the local media, the Minister conveyed the government’s and the Greek people’s gratitude towards the officers of the Hellenic Coast Guard for their work. Because, as he mentioned "they have managed to make our country, a country that protects its borders, protects human life at sea and imposes its sovereignty in its territorial waters. These are accomplishments that may seem simple, but many times are disputed and we will stand by the officers of the Coast Guard, to prove that any accusation and censure they receive does not correspond to reality".
"Having previously served in the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, I have the utmost respect for the manner and professionalism with which Hellenic Coast Guard officers carry out their duties. At the same time, our mandate is to uphold the substance of Law, in all cases. And, of course, to continue doing their work with the sense of responsibility that they possess. Finally, I would like to say that the Hellenic Coast Guard has evolved with new means, much better than the ones they used to own, and we will continue to equip the Hellenic Coast Guard so that the men and women who serve in it, have all the latest equipment at their disposal, to do their work even better," he noted.
Mr. Varvitsiotis was accompanied by the Deputy Minister of Maritime Affairs & Insular Policy, Mr. Ioannis Pappas, the Secretary General of Ports Port Policy and Maritime Investments , Dr. Evangelos Kyriazopoulos, the Secretary General of the Aegean and Island Policy , Mr. Manolis Koutoulakis, and the Commandant of the Hellenic Coast Guard, Vice Admiral HCG Alexandrakis Georgios.
Subsequently, Mr. Varvitsiotis presided over an extended meeting with the authorities and bodies of Lesvos Island and the North Aegean, at the building of the General Secretariat of the Aegean and Insular Policy.
The Minister emphasized that strengthening the insular policy is a bet for the government. "Insularity is our national policy" he underlined and added that the government is determined to support our islands, both himself as Minister and the Prime Minister. He cited, as an example, the fact that the Ministry has been strengthened with additional responsibilities, such as port projects. He also pledged that among his goals is the insularity to acquire a European identity.
The meeting was attended by, among others, the Regional Governor of North Aegean Kostas Moutzouris, the Mayor of Mytilene Stratis Kytelis, the Mayor of West Lesvos Taxiarchis Verros, the Mayor of Lemnos Dimitris Marinakis, representatives of the area's entities.
Σχετικές εικόνες
