On Thursday morning, the minister, Nikos Dendias, had successive meetings at the Ministry of National Defence with the Minister of Civil Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis and the mayor of Athens, Harris Doukas, on the subject of the Monument of the Unknown Soldier.

The subject of the meetings was the responsibilities regarding the cleaning, but also the guarding of the Monument – and it was of an exploratory nature, according to sources at the Ministry of National Defence. The meeting between Dendias and Doukas is part of the passed amendment, which transfers responsibility for the care and maintenance of the monument to the Ministry of National Defence.

The aim of the Defence Minister’s discussion with the mayor of Athens was to coordinate the smooth transfer of responsibilities and ensure the uninterrupted care of the highly symbolic site in the center of the capital.

It is recalled that the issue had been mentioned by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, speaking in Parliament last Tuesday before the relevant amendment was passed. Addressing PASOK president Nikos Androulakis, he shot his arrows at Harry Doukas, saying in a snide tone. “According to the existing provisions, if we had to interpret the legislation as it stands today, who, Mr Androulakis, has the responsibility to clean the site? The Mayor of Athens, Mr Doukas, has never cleaned the site. And he did not clean it up because he wanted to play a political game. Now whether he wanted to play a political game by making you the opposition or whether he wanted to play a political game because he sees himself as the new leader of the center-left, I don’t know,” Mitsotakis had said.