Active-duty personnel and veterans to protest on Thursday

Active-duty military personnel and retired members of the Hellenic Armed Forces are set to stage a protest on Thursday, January 8, 2026, outside the Greek Parliament in Athens, opposing a multi-bill currently under debate by the Ministry of National Defense.

In a joint announcement issued on January 3, 13 representative bodies of serving and retired armed forces personnel called for a mass demonstration, warning that the proposed legislation would lead to the downgrading and devaluation of the Armed Forces.

Key Objections to the Bill

According to the statement, the multi-bill:

• Downgrades military personnel in terms of rank and career progression
• Undermines the role, contribution, and future prospects of service members
• Harms operational readiness, cohesion, and combat effectiveness, particularly by weakening military academies and recruitment structures
• Leads to the privatization of large parts of equipment maintenance and services, resulting in higher costs for taxpayers and proven operational unreliability

The organizations argue that, despite repeated warnings, the government has failed to acknowledge the need to withdraw the bill. They are therefore demanding its rejection by the plenary session of Parliament.

Call to Demonstration

The protest is scheduled for 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, January 8, outside the Hellenic Parliament, opposite the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The organizers are calling on:

• Active-duty military personnel
• Retired members of the Armed Forces
• Associations, organizations, and citizens who are concerned or directly or indirectly affected by the bill

The demonstration is expected to continue until the parliamentary debate on the bill is concluded. Active-duty personnel are not required to attend in uniform.

“Silence Is Not an Option”

The announcement emphasizes that silence is no longer acceptable, warning against passing what it describes as injustice on to future generations. “The downgrading of the Armed Forces will not pass,” the statement reads, adding that unity is essential in the fight for respect, dignity, and strong Armed Forces.

Concluding their call, the representative bodies stress that broad participation is necessary, declaring that the struggle against what they describe as a bill that dismantles the Armed Forces will continue.