Chiefs,

I would like to welcome you to our country and to warmly thank you for accepting our invitation to attend the celebration for the “Day of the Police”. This is a special celebration established three years ago, under a law of the Greek state, as a token of recognition and honor to all police officers performing with outmost conscience the duty they are assigned to by the Greek State, as well as a tribute to all those who have perished while executing their duty.

Colleagues,

We all live now in an unstable and complex environment in terms of international security; in this context, we are called upon to rise up to a series of new challenges, risks and threats. International terrorism, illegal immigration, drugs, human trafficking, illegal trade of weapons, explosives and chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear materials, counterfeiting and forgery, as well as other aspects of organized crime require not only special attention but also reinforcement of our cooperation at the regional level.

Having fully realized this necessity, we proceeded to planning and implementing an integrated and pioneer model of regional cooperation in the field of security, civil protection and crisis management for the Athens 2004 Olympic Games. At this point, I would like to express once again my most honest ?thank you? for this collective effort from all of us which brought about the well-known successful results.

Greece was the fist European Union Member-State called upon to organize Olympic Games after September 11^th as well as after the implementation of the Schengen ?acquis?. Greece did wonderfully, proving that size does not matter when it comes to guaranteeing a country?s domestic security, but it is a matter of political commitment, organization and quality. The Olympic Security Planning managed to incorporate all the available international experience and know-how and adjust them in the appropriate way. Nowadays, this same planning constitutes a model for organizing large-scale international events and an efficient tool when dealing with security issues of our times.

This model is up-to-date and can be adapted to the respective special needs and particularities of other planning actions.

In the course of the previous year, the Hellenic Police Force undertook concrete actions to make the best out of this Olympic ?acquis?, such as the ones I shall mention now:

1. Cross-border features of international crime.

2. International cooperation and aid.

3. Prevention, emphasizing on information exchange, education and readiness in terms of plans, resources and technology.

4. Coordination between the several parties involved (Security Agencies, Civil Protection Authorities, Health and Justice Departments etc), given the fact that the security problems we all share in this region are not merely a police matter.

5. Principles of respect for national sovereignty, subsidiarity and complementarity, principles which are also in force in all European Union Member States.

It is widely considered that our cooperation is being built in this healthy framework of principles and assumptions, either at the bilateral level through police cooperation and re-admission agreements, or through the Bodies and Initiatives in which our countries participate.

To be more precise, let me specifically refer to the following:

Our cooperation has been smooth and constructive up till now; it is based on mutual trust, respect and support. Undoubtedly, all the prerequisites are there to further enhance our prospects and make this cooperation all the more operational, coordinated and efficient.

In order to respond to this new requirement, we tried to make our cooperation with Albania, Bulgaria and Romania more specific, by introducing practical features with the visits of the Minister of Public Order and myself in the course of this year. This cooperation includes, among others:

We wish to propose that such kind of cooperation should be agreed and established with the Police Forces of other Balkan countries.

It is utopian to believe that nowadays it is possible for any country to deal with security issues on its own. Integrated and convergent action is required to this purpose.

Greece is a Member State of the European Union and of the Euro-Atlantic Alliance and can, thus, participate actively in the decision making process to create a single security area.

We consider International Cooperation of paramount importance, since each country, each Police Force can make its own contribution offering its experience, knowledge and technology. This is the only way to achieve the goal we all share, in other words, peace, stability and security for our region.

By utilizing our Olympic “acquis”, we can offer know-how and training in specific fields, such as:

Chiefs,

Besides the formal and ceremonial aspect of your presence here today, in order to celebrate the “Day of the Hellenic Police Force”, your visit to our country also marks your practical interest in developing a substantial and active regional cooperation to achieve common goals, based on mutual interests, values and principles.

Moreover, this meeting conveys the strongest message to organized criminal groups; the message that we are united and determined to rise up to the common challenges and risks this region is faced with.

It is an exceptional honour for us to have you with us today for celebrating the Hellenic Police Force. Thank you once again for your participation.