“If they have the guts, I dare them to dispute as much as a millimeter of Greek soil”, Greek Minister of Defence Panos Kammenos said referring to tensions between Greece and Turkey.

Escorted by the Chief of the Hellenic Army General Staff (HAGS), Lieutenant General Alkiviadis Stefanis, Mr Kammenos used tough words against Turkey while watching a joint military exercise of the Island Defence Command of Ikaria (DAN) and St. Kyrikos National Guard Defence Battalions. Referring to the two Greek servicemen held in a Turkish prison in Adrianople, the Defence Minister said: “we will get them out, liberate them, they will come home.”

“We are ready – and I know that many outside our nation do not like this – to face any threat from anyone. We rely on our own strength, we do not expect anything from allies or friends”, he said, lauding the patriotism of the national guard and the Greek armed forces.

“I want to assure you that all the political forces in the land have our Armed Forces as an amulet. The Greeks united will crush them. They will not be able to sow discord among the Greek people, and this is evidenced first by all of you who are here today with the permanent staff, the National Guard.”

Mr Kammenos went on to say he was proud of the reserves and the permanent military staff and wished them a happy Easter.