A funeral service for Imia’s Piraean hero, Panagiotis Vlachakos, took place this morning in the Constantinou Karamanlis (formerly Terpsitheos) square in Piraeus, where a statue of the hero rises. This is Vice Admiral Panagiotis Vlachakos, who entered service on January 31, 1996, along with Christodoulos Karathanasis and Hector Yalopsos.

The memorial service was held under the patronage of His Eminence Metropolitan Seraphim of Piraeus in the presence of the Minister for the Protection of Citizens Takis Theodorikakos, Mayor of Piraeus Yiannis Moralis, as well as representatives of the political world, military, self-government and family members of the late P. Vlahakos. .

In his speech, the Minister for the Protection of Citizens, Takis Theodorikakos, said: “Today we honor the memory of Vice Admiral Panagiotis Vlahakos, one of the three heroes of modern Greece, who, along with Christodoulos Karathanasis and Hector Ialopsos, fell for our country at the end of January 1996.

The events of that night are a tragic memory for every Greek. That night, the characteristics of the historical path of the Greek nation were dramatically compressed. Love for the motherland as the highest value of life, an absolute sense of duty, self-sacrifice for our Greece, for that Greece, which for centuries has learned to sail on wild and formidable waves.

Greece, which constantly faces threats and intrigues from its eastern neighbors. Greece, which does not and will never make concessions in matters of national sovereignty and dignity. Who taught mankind many times that the strength of the soul and devotion to the Motherland can defeat numerous opponents. Greece, that each new generation of her children, at any time and at any cost, can adequately take on the heavy burden of defending their homeland, when history calls for it. This is what the three heroes of Imia did that night, this is what Panagiotis Vlahakos did. In that helicopter bound for Imia, they carried with them selflessness and supreme love for Greece. What ensures the continuity and progress of the Greek nation in the future.

We must learn from our history, and in a difficult time like the one we are living through, it is a compass and a condition for optimism about the future. Most importantly, when we talk about national security and national sovereignty, we must all be absolutely united. The division and isolation of those who incite them do not express disagreement about the present, but an irresponsibility for tomorrow.

Our history is filled with red lines written in the blood of heroes. From September 2022, Panagiotis Vlahakos again becomes the guardian of the Aegean. The new missile boat of the Navy bears his name, sails the blue waters of the Aegean Sea, and is the vigilant guardian of our borders. Thus, the state decided in the most symbolic way to honor the memory of the person who honored her and gave his life. We must strive every day to translate the meaning of their sacrifice into reality.

About Panagiotis, Christodoulos, Hector, about all the Greeks who at some point in their lives accepted the historical call of national destiny. To give my life. Let all Greeks work unitedly and resolutely, let’s further strengthen our country, its strength, its prospects, and the general confidence in the future. To pass on to our children a Greece with a glorious history, but also with a glorious present and future.”

For his part, Piraeus Mayor Yiannis Moralis said in his speech: “Like every year, the Municipality of Piraeus commemorates Panagiotis Vlahakos, an officer of the Piraeus Navy who fell in the line of duty, on the tragic night of Imia in January 1996. 27 years have passed since then, but the memories of the dramatic moments that the country has experienced, as well as the emotions of the loss of three of our officers, remain just as strong and strong.

Especially for Piraeus, the loss was great, since one of our fellow citizens died, which filled his family with sadness, first of all, as well as our city. With this memorial service, the municipality of Piraeus maintains the memory and honors Panagiotis Vlahakos, who died defending our homeland and the honor of all Greeks.”

“Unfortunately, even today, Greek-Turkish relations remain tense, this year, in fact, the provocation of the Turkish government, in terms of phraseology and threats against our country, has surpassed all precedents. Against such behavior, we are obliged and ask all of us to unite when it comes to the most important national problems. We must put aside our ideological differences and all become one,” Mr. Moralis stressed.

The brother of the deceased, Nikos Vlahakos, delivered a short speech: “Another day of honor for the keepers of the world. Another day that belongs exclusively to the three heroes of Imiya and the Fleet. Those people who, when their patriotic duty calls, are quite inherent in courage and selflessness. These are those who know how to honor their uniform and coat of arms. You three convincingly proved it that fateful night at the cost of your own lives. Your goal was only to protect the Greek borders. Your goal is to keep our borders always blue. The state has built two modern missile ships, Karatanasis and Vlachakos. Honoring you so that your heroic deed remains indelible on the path of the country’s history.

Source: RES