Mitsotakis and Anastasiadis at the handover ceremony of the Embraer government aircraft

As of today, Cyprus has its own government aircraft at its disposal after the official handover ceremony held at the 112th Fighter Wing, in Elefsina, and its donation by the Greek Government to the Republic of Cyprus in the presence of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis.

“I am especially glad that we are able to make this gesture of solidarity towards Cyprus. Cyprus has always stood by the side of our country when we have been tested recently, in major natural disasters. Thank you once again for your very generous donation regarding the region of Matiou, a natural disaster that pained us so much and shocked Hellenism.We will soon find ourselves in the foundation of the houses that will meet the needs of our fellow citizens who lost their homes that horrible night.

We are in a position today to offer the Republic of Cyprus, this aircraft and beyond the obvious service of the President, the government officials. I should also emphasize how important I consider the fact that the President of Cyprus can travel on a plane, which has the name of the Republic of Cyprus, the Cypriot and the European flag on it. This is also an indication of the prestige of the Republic of Cyprus.

And we are pleased to be able, as part of our own streamlining of the government aircraft fleet, to proceed with this action. Have a good trip, then. I understand that the President has a heavy schedule anyway in the coming months before his term ends, so I’m sure it will take place.

And of course, Chief, let us also thank the officers of the Armed Forces who, in the first phase until the crews are trained, will provide all the necessary support needed to fly safely above all and at speed.

I would also like to thank EAB, which went above and beyond so that we could have the plane ready for delivery, with new tanks which significantly increase the range so that you can fly -say- non-stop from Cyprus to Brussels, which is the most common journey which we are called to do”, noted Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis about the aircraft delivered today to the Cypriot Government, after the Greek Government had previously received a Falcon-type government aircraft free of charge from the French aviation company Dassault, which, among other things, manufactures Rafale fighters , in the context of its obligation to Compensatory Benefits.

“To express my thanks, of course to you and to the Greek Government for this generous contribution to the needs of the Republic of Cyprus, Cyprus is an isolated island and we do not have the connectivity that Greece has. It was a problem for each President and more generally for the Government and this important donation of the Greek Government, gives other dimensions to the time of the President or some Ministers or even to emergency needs for humanitarian reasons.

That is why I feel the need once again, my Kyriakos and dear Nikos, to express my warmest thanks for the decision of the Greek Government, in the climate of solidarity and mutual support that distinguishes our relations. This important donation will greatly contribute to the better functioning of the state”, emphasized the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis.

Mr. Mitsotakis also thanked the crews of the Firefighting aircraft based at the military airport of Elefsina, for the valuable services they offer during the summer season for extinguishing the fires: “The AAB supported us throughout the summer. And as we are here in Elefsina, at the headquarters of our firefighting aircraft, the Canadair 215, our oldest aircraft, to once again express my thanks to our Air Force, to our technicians who work every night, without sleeping, for for the planes to be ready for delivery and of course to the ODA which undertakes the heaviest maintenance so that the relatively old aircraft can fly above all with safety for their operators”.

The two leaders were briefed on the technical and operational capabilities of the aircraft as well as on the flight capabilities and improvements made and had a conversation with the new crew with which it has been manned.

The ceremony was attended by the Minister of National Defense, Nikos Panagiotopoulos, the Chief of the General Staff of the National Defense, General Konstantinos Floros, the Chief of the General Staff of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Themistocles Bourolias and the President of the Hellenic Aviation Industry, Yannis Koutras.

The President of the Republic of Cyprus at the ceremony and also during his departure from Greece on the new aircraft of the Republic of Cyprus bound for Cyprus was accompanied by the Minister of Defence, Charalambos Petridis, the Government Spokesman, Marios Pelekanos, the Deputy Minister to the President of the Republic of Cyprus , Petros Dimitriou, the Director of the Office of the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Pantelis Pantelidis, the Chief of the National Guard of the Republic of Cyprus, Dimokritos Zervakis, the Brigadier General of the Cyprus National Guard, Marios Floridis and the Commander of the Presidential Guard, Ioannis Telonis.