A round of courtesy visits

In Heraklion

On Wednesday 29th March, the new director of the Infantry Reserve Officers’ Academy (SEAP), Brigadier Antonios Pragias, paid a courtesy visit to the Secretary of the Cretan Regional Authority Maria Kozyraki at the Authority’s offices in Heraklion. He was accompanied by Lieutenant Nikolaos Tsichlis.

Ms Kozyraki informed the Brigadier about the role and responsibilities of the Regional Authority throughout Crete and its cooperation on issues of civil protection with the security services and the army. She laid particular emphasis on the preparation and readiness of the responsible units for the forthcoming fire-prevention period of 2023.

SEAP director Brigadier Antonios Pragias with the secretary of the Cretan Regional authority Maria Kozyraki durng his courtesy visit to the Authority’s offices in Heraklion. Wednesday 29th March, 2023.

The SEAP director thanked the Secretary for the information about the Regional Authority’s activities as a public body, as he had only very recently taken up his new duties in Heraklion. The two heads confirmed the need for communication and understanding between them, which it was announced would be pursued at their next meeting, due within a short space of time.

The following day, Brigadier Pragias met with the Regional Governor of Crete Stavros Arnautakis. Their discussions covered issues of cooperation as well as the management of SEAP’s military hostels, which has been taken on by the Region of Crete.

In Chania

On Tuesday 28th March the new director of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC), Commodore Themistocles Papadimitriou, paid a courtesy visit to the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos” in Halepa, where he met the general director Nikolaos Papadakis.

Having received a comprehensive briefing on the Foundation’s work and current activities, the new director described the mission of NMIOTC, which is focussed on conducting joint training activities with NATO units and improving their effectiveness in conducting surveillance missions (surface, air and undersea) to combat asymmetric threats. The two directors examined the possibility of developing joint activities and expanding cooperation between the two institutions,

The new director of the NATO Maritime Interdiction Operational Training Centre (NMIOTC), Commodore Themistocles Papadimitriou, exchanges commemorative gifts with the director of the National Research Foundation “Eleftherios K. Venizelos”, Nikolaos Papadakis, at the Foundation’s offices in Halepa, Chania. Tuesday 28th March

Mr Papadimitriou presented the Foundation with a nautical monocular, while Mr Papadakis gave him the biography Eleftherios Venizelos, the man and leader.

Also on Tuesday Mr Papadimitriou visited the Deputy Regional Governor for Chania, Nikos Kalogeris.

On Thursday the NMIOTC director continued his round of courtesy visits, meeting the mayor of Chania Panagiotis Simandirakis at Chania town hall. Mr Papadakis discussed with the mayor the areas of responsibility of both the municipality of Chania and NMIOTC, while they also touched on the latter’s activities which benefit the local economy, such as the training of personnel from NATO countries in naval operations, which are hosted in Chania. Since the beginning of the year, more than 1300 people have visited Chania to take part in training activities, the director said.

The meeting ended with an exchange of commemorative gifts.