In recent months, the Greek State, primarily through the Minister of National Defence Nikos Dendias – on the occasion of the “national threat facing the country” – has repeatedly made appeals to Greek shipping for substantial support of the Armed Forces. This time, however, it was the Greek Prime Minister who, through a public statement, addressed a clear message of social responsibility to Greek shipowners, in order to support not only the Armed Forces but also society as a whole.
More specifically, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, on Monday, June 22, during the inauguration of the new building of the Cyber Command of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff at the Ministry of National Defence, a donation of the Athanasios K. Laskaridis Public Benefit Foundation, requested the substantial strengthening of the homeland through public benefit initiatives. Focusing on the financial prosperity of the most powerful Greek shipowners, he set Aristotle Onassis and Stavros Niarchos as absolute role models and clarified that the revival of their own national benefaction could create a huge reserve of resources for society.
In the same vein, the founder of the Athanasios K. Laskaridis Public Benefit Foundation also moved, with an assessment of market data. He spoke of great idle wealth within the ranks of Greek shipping, emphasizing that fifty families possess fortunes exceeding one billion euros each. “Without exaggeration, fifty families possess fortunes exceeding one billion euros each” and therefore he made clear that “much more must be done for the homeland.”
Mr. Laskaridis recalled that the shipping sector has enjoyed the longstanding support of all governments since the end of World War II onwards. Highlighting the historical role of the sector, he explained that national infrastructures, airlines, banks, and industries were historically founded thanks to imported shipping capital, indicating a return to this life stance. Regarding donation as a life stance, Mr. Laskaridis emphasized that the first “who adopted the disposition of a significant part of their fortune to the homeland were Niarchos and Onassis.”
It is recalled that, as recently as May 28, during the inauguration of the renovated, large short-stay wing at the NNA, a donation of the President of the Aikaterini Laskaridis Foundation, Mr. Dendias proceeded for the second time, within a short period, to a broad call to Greek shipping. As he had stated then, “there are few, meaning a small number, of shipowners who help us.” He had even pointed out that the Greek state has helped Greek shipowners by creating an excellent framework for the protection of shipping activity. “But now is the time [for them to help us too] precisely because the Homeland is in need. It is in need because there is a threat,” he had emphasized.
