Minister of National Defence N. Dendias attends celebrations for the Siege – Liberation of Tripolitsa

Minister of National Defence N. Dendias attends celebrations for the Siege - Liberation of Tripolitsa

September 28, 2025

On Sunday 28 September 2025, the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendiasattended the celebrations for the 204^thanniversary since the Siege - Liberation of Tripolitsa, which were held in Tripolis, as representative of the President of the Government.

The Minister of National Defence was accompanied by the General Secretary of National Defence Antonios Economou, the Chief/HAGS Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, and the Commanding General of the Training Centres Command - IV Infantry Division "Peloponnese" Major General Alexandros Chatzialexandris and attended the Doxology, which was officiated by his Eminence the Metropolitan of Mantinia and Kynouria Mr. Epifanios, in the Holy Metropolitan Church of St. Vasilios.

Following, the Minister of National Defence proceeded to the Monument of Archpriests and Elders, where a memorial service and the laying of wreaths followed. Mr. Dendias also laid a wreath at the statue of Theodoros Kolokotronis on horseback.

Following, he attended the parade by Armed Forces sections of the IV Infantry Division and cultural clubs.

The celebrations were also attended by Odysseas Konstantinopoulos as representative of the Speaker of the Parliament, the Deputy Minister of Education, Religious Affairs, and Sports Konstantinos Vlasis, MPs Spyridon Tsironis, Vasilios Kotidis and Member of the European Parliament Dimitris Tsiodras, the Head of Region for the Peloponnese Dimitris Ptohos, the Mayor of Tripolis Konstantinos Tzioumis, the Deputy Head of Region for the Regional Unit of Arcadia of the Region of the Peloponnese Konstantinos Mandronis, the former Minister and President of the Hellenic Organisation of Agricultural Insurance Andreas Lykourentzos, Mayors of Adjacent Municipalities, representatives of the Security Forces, Local Governments, productive institutions, cultural clubs, and civilians.

In his address, Mr. Dendias stated the following:

"The Siege of Tripolitsa, of Tripolis, in September '21, is the turning point that the laid the foundations for the Greek Revolution, because the fall of the city signified the collapse of the centre of Ottoman rule and presence in Morea.

Thus, the idea that the Liberation of Greeks was not a Chimera, but rather a struggle with great chances of success and a historic possibility became understood, both within and outside the borders of Greece. Even Greeks themselves sensed a notion of a country in its cradle. It was not easy for someone to imagine that after 400 years of Ottoman rule.

The words of Theodoros Kolokotronis upon entering the liberated city are characteristic:

"When I entered Tripolitsa, people pointed at the Plane tree at the market, where they used to hang Greeks. I sighed and said: "My God, how many people from my family and country were hung there", and that's when I ordered for it to be cut down"

The Generation of '21, through its struggle, gifted us the obligation of responsibility.

It achieved the rebirth of Hellenism.

And the survival of Hellenism is now our own constitutional and national responsibility.

The security of our Country should not be taken for granted, especially in the geopolitical environment of today.

It lays upon the foundations of a strategic design with international alliances, which we must maintain, but for which we also require to possess strong Armed Forces. This is the point, where the memory of '21 meets our contemporary constitutional obligation.

And the "Agenda 2030" serves this strategy for strong Armed Forces.

And here, in Tripolis, you will notice a reform during the forthcoming months, about which I have already had the pleasure of briefing my colleague and your MP on, Mr. Kostas Vlasis.

The new Unmanned Aerial Vehicles School, also known as drones, and the School of Anti-Drone Systems will be established here, during the new phase of the Armed Forces.

And you will see the evolution of Armed Forces activity.

You will see how we will transcend from a Newly-Recruited Soldiers Training Centre to a phase where the central element is innovation, new technologies, and new capabilities.

I am certain, that this new reality will support Tripolis much more.

Generally, however, I have to tell you that what will happen here, is necessary to happen in all of Greece. We need Armed Forces that are well-equipped, versatile, and capable of responding to modern challenges.

I would also like to tell you, that I do not believe there is a single Greek person that believes, that if mindsets and ideas resembling the Public Services of the 80's prevail in the Armed Forces, we will be able to deter the already ten times larger and constantly growing expansionism coming from the East.

We must remember that there are reasons behind each mistake in defending our sovereignty and sovereign rights, as it happened in 1996, and their roots are deep. Those are the reasons that we must cure them with harmony, but also with courage.

The political cost must not be indifferent to us, because it is a matter of national survival.

Today, we honour our ancestors, the heroes of the Revolution of 1821.

The Revolution of '21, as I also said in Missolonghi, at the Anniversary of the Exodus, the history of Greece, contains extreme contradictions. It contains all kinds of highs and lows. It contains national virtue and national conformity. It contains national contribution and also extreme corruption.

However, the day and the light prevail over the night and darkness. Our effort for the creation of a New Greece had a happy ending.

Our responsibility is to maintain it thriving and powerful and to protect it from its multiple enemies and the challenges of modern times.

This way, we will have fulfilled our duty and that would be the greatest memorial service in the memory of Theodoros Kolokotronis and all those who fought alongside him for the Liberation of Tripolitsa in 1821.

Thank you".