The defence ministry is considering the activation of law 705/1977 for the enlistment of Greek women in the military, National Defence Minister Nikos Dendias said on Friday at a Hellenic National Defence General Staff event for International Women’s Day.
“A large, overwhelming majority of Greek society believes in an army of the citizens, believes strongly in the armed citizen,” said Dendias.
He noted that Greece was moving in a geopolitical and numerical framework “where we face a threat from a country that has a great numerical advantage over us, and which by the mid-century will approach or exceed 100 million people to our 11-12 millions.”
“So, simple arithmetics imposes an army of the citizens as well as an ideological view that the armed citizen defending country, home and ideals is what has always set Hellenism apart, since the time when city-states were first founded,” he added.
“When we speak of an army of the citizens, you understand that it makes no sense to exempt half population,” Dendias explained, while adding that the relevant legislation has existed since 1977 and stressing that it concerns a strictly voluntary recruitment of women as soldiers.
Dendias said that, in the next weeks, the ministry and the leadership of the armed forces will present some initial thoughts on how Greece can exploit the human capital of the country, not only as regards officers but also on the level of voluntary recruits.
