Military parade commemorating March 25th anniversary concludes in central Athens

Celebrations began with a 21-gun salute from Lycabettus Hill at 06:21 and a reveille performed by sections of the Armed Forces and Security Forces in the streets of central Athens on Wednesday.

The center of the city, including the area from Patission to Syngrou Avenues, was shut to traffic from early in the morning until the conclusion of the parade. The Athens Metro 'Syntagma' station was also shut down, while other restrictions were imposed on tram and bus lines.

At 08:00, the official raising of the Greek flag took place at the Sacred Rock of the Acropolis, while a doxology took place at 10:00 at the Athens Metropolitan Cathedral officiated by Archbishop Hieronymos of Athens and All Greece. It was attended by President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine Tassoulas, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Parliament President Nikitas Kaklamanis, and Greek and foreign officials, among others.

At 10:01, a 21-gun salute was issued from Lycabettus Hill, while at 10:55, President Tassoulas laid a wreath at the Monument of the Unknown Soldier at Syntagma Square. Following this, Tassoulas observed the annual parade of the Armed Forces and Security Forces that began shortly after 11:00 at the corner of Vassilissis Amalias and Vassilissis Olgas Avenues. The parade passed before the Parliament building and concluded at the Omonia Square area. Also attending the event were PM Mitsotakis and the president of Parliament, among other officials. 

Leading the parade were three voluntaty units of the Hellenic Red Cross with injured war veterans, while shortly before 11:30 Hellenic Air Force jets and helicopters flew overhead. The events included sections of the Armed Forces, Security Forces, military academies and the Evzones of the Presidential Guard. 

Innovative technology

The highlight of the parade this year were the technologically innovative weapon systems presented at the parade, reflecting in a defining way the transition of the Armed Forces of Greece to a new era.
Greece's new philosophy in defense is based on the reforms of 'Agenda 2030' and the new Deterrence Dogma adopted by the the Armed Forces. As National Defense Minsiter Nikos Dendias has pointed out, with these two as well as the restructuring of the Armed Forces, the 12-year Long-term Program of Defense Procurements and the introduction of cutting-edge technology "we are building the strongest and modern Armed Forces in the history of modern Greece."

The central focus of the new strategy is to develop a domestic defense ecosystem of innovation and state-of-the-art technologies, as well as the incorporation of modern defense systems that boost Greece's deterrence capability. 

Standing out in the parade were the 'Kentavros' anti-drone system, the first product by a collaborative effort of the Hellenic Center for Defense Innovation (ELKAK) and the Hellenic Aerospace Industry (EAV), which has already been used by the Hellenic Navy units operating in the region of the Red Sea and Cyprus.

Events for the day's celebration will wrap up with the official lowering of the flag on the Acropolis at 18:41, while a 21-gun salute will also take place from Lycabettus Hill.

Military parades, military camps and offices and ships of the Hellenic Navy were decorated with Greek flags as of Monday, March 23 and will remain so to sunset on Wednesday. The same were lit up on Tuesday night and will also be lit on Wednesday night, to commemorate the anniversary, on which Greece also celebrates the Annunciation of the Virgin Mary.