Written by Konstantinos Konstantinidis of Amphiktyon
In 1973, the Chief of Staff of the 15th Division, the late Col. Ioannis Manousakakis, announced to us in Kastoria the pleasant news that: “Greece is sailing in a lake of oil, but blood will be shed to find it.” Since then, the junta has been purchasing new weapons systems. Then the first drilling rig entered and extracted the first deposit in Prinos. Then Turkey’s appetite for sharing the Aegean was whetted. Since then, due to the fall of the junta and the involvement of Turkey, all post-democratic governments, with the exception of the government of Antonis Samaras (with Minister of Energy Mr. Yiannis Maniatis) laid the foundations with the “Maniatis law” for yesterday’s miracle to happen. The deposits, with a delay of 52 years, are entering the drilling stage that will show us, as is hoped, that there is gas and oil, but we do not know their quantity and quality. Greece is turning into an energy center and energy exporter, like our Cyprus, with all that this entails for the development and prosperity of the Greek people. The Germans knew about the hidden wealth since World War II and had made a test hole in Katakolo and on the coast of the Kyparissia Gulf. Successive governments have since passed and left this wealth unexploited despite the sharp increase in our fuel needs, thus depriving the country of its development. On the contrary, Norway has become the richest country in the world for the past 20 years thanks to the state-owned mining of the North Sea deposits. Now that the country, as it is hoped, will have resources for development, the current Government and the others that will follow should design 5-year and 10-year programs for sustainable development, which foresees the country’s security, respect for the environment and the global cultural expansion of the Greek spirit. The focus of attention on Greece by the US is not only aimed at energy benefits, but also gives the Greek people the means to develop the Greek spirit that the West absolutely needs today, in view of the confrontation with the East. Greece in all eras with the spirit of Democracy, humanism, logic, freedom (of speech and expression) created new cultures opposed to war, violence, absolutism, despotism, dogmatism, and theocratic slavery. The Greek timeless spirit and the two-substance Greek religion (Patroas and Orthodoxy) which basically complement each other in a comprehensive vision of the world, let them cooperate and act together and coordinated on a global level, with bases and cells of Hellenism and philhellenism throughout the world. Because for us Greeks, they must be considered “participants in our education”, as Isocrates said, but also believers. Let the folly of the past, the cowardice of the philistines, the injustice of the misers, the lies and shame of politicians, the cowardice of the past, the greed and waste of the newly rich, stop, and let temperance, sobriety, logic, justice, frankness, courage and even thrift in non-essentials prevail. Let us mobilize the memory of the Memoranda and let us avoid those mistakes that brought us to the threshold of extinction. Let the Aedos, hard work, trial, extroverted outlook and spiritual global campaign prevail to achieve the goals of Hellenism: unification, peace and party “shame”. Let us strengthen the “great state” of Greek Shipping and condemn slavery and despotism everywhere. To Prime Minister Mr. Mitsotakis and to those who contributed to the successful outcome of the success, BLESSINGS! and thanks. Our Greece, the eternal light bearer, “Eternal Fire” may it shine and be blessed (7/11/25)
*Amphiktyon, Major General, former General Konstantinos Konstantinidis Author, Member of the Society of Greek Writers http://www.amphiktyon.blogspot.com (My main blog AMPHIKTYON ARTICLES & BOOKS-POEMS(old) AMPHIKTYON.BLOGSPOT.COM (In English) ANCIENT OLYMPICS-ATHLETICS (The Olympic Games) amphiktyon-poetry.blogspot.com (My poetry collection) AMPHIKTYONBOOKS (Books, Studies and timeless texts) https://amphiktyon.org (My personal website) Anyone who wishes to delete it should request “delete”