Armed Forces in crisis: Turmoil in the Armed Forces – Dendias’ “alchemies” and the scenarios for the Minister’s removal
Recommendations to the Prime Minister for the upcoming reshuffle involve the removal of the Minister of Defence from the government. The Minister of Defence, Nikos Dendias, is considered to be causing unrest in the military. The background of a potential intra-governmental conflict that “headaches” Maximos Mansion. The Armed Forces are sinking into conditions of an unprecedented crisis, with the wave of resignations causing tremors in the military and the political leadership.
DENDIAS’ ALCHEMIES CAUSE TURMOIL
Conditions of an unprecedented crisis are taking shape in the Armed Forces, as a sad result of the alchemies attempted by N. Dendias in their structure and operation. The resignations of officers of all ranks, which continue with undiminished intensity, underline the alarming dimensions the problem is tending to take. A problem that affects, naturally, the morale of the Armed Forces personnel. The fact that the leadership of the Ministry of Defence systematically tries to downplay the importance of the case as well as the value of the resignations magnifies the concerns permeating all three Branches.
The question that arises inexorably is whether Prime Minister Kyr. Mitsotakis agrees with the choices of the Minister of Defence or avoids colliding with him to avoid an intra-governmental crisis with unpredictable consequences. And this given that Mr. Dendias aspires to claim the leadership of New Democracy in the post-Mitsotakis era. He considers, indeed, that with the close relations he maintains with domestic economic factors, as well as foreign ones, due to successive procurements of war equipment, he will have increased chances to succeed Mr. Mitsotakis. The resignations of four officers from the crew of the new frigate “Kimon”, immediately after its arrival at the naval station, was a loud message, addressed not only to the leadership of the Ministry of Defence (they are hard of hearing) but also to Maximos Mansion. Out of the three Branches, the Navy is the one most affected by the crisis. In 2025, 276 resignations of middle and junior officers were recorded and everything indicates that the wave of flight will continue during 2026.
ΔΙΑΒΑΣΤΕ ΕΠΙΣΗΣ
The main protest of the personnel is that, through legislative and other regulations, Mr. Dendias aims to create Armed Forces of two speeds, dividing their personnel into patricians and plebeians. On one side the senior officers, who will enjoy all privileges and high salaries, and on the other the middle and junior officers, who will be on the sidelines, with low salaries, without prospects of advancement and evolution. It is characteristic that several of those who leave the Armed Forces disappointed end up as… employees in regions, municipalities or other agencies.
While for the first time in recent decades we had large protest rallies by officers, where the indignation and the sense of injustice that possesses them was captured. Sensation has been caused, however, by the stance of the Fleet Commander, who during his visit to the frigate “Kimon” allegedly urged those who want to leave the Navy to… do so, but not to try to influence others to follow them! A behavior that shows arrogance but also indifference to the depletion of the Navy. Having linked his fate and his evolution with Mr. Dendias, the Fleet Commander defended the choices of the Minister of Defence with vigor. Meanwhile, the turmoil prevailing in the Armed Forces causes a headache at Maximos Mansion, while reactions are recorded within the government and New Democracy.
Ministers and MPs are recipients of intense protests from Armed Forces personnel against the Minister of Defence. The climate is heavy for the latter, but for the time being government officials remain silent so as not to create a government crisis. It is, however, a matter of time before they come out publicly and disapprove of Mr. Dendias’ regulations. Information, in fact, states that Mr. Mitsotakis has received recommendations for the removal of Mr. Dendias from the Ministry of Defence in the reshuffle, in order to defuse the crisis and restore calm within the ranks of the Armed Forces. This possibility gathers very few chances, as such a move by the Prime Minister would not be positively accepted by Mr. Dendias. Consequently, a government crisis at this level, and indeed on the eve of national elections, would not just be a… redundant luxury but an extremely harmful move, both politically and electorally.
