Greece Marks 108th Anniversary of Macedonian Front Breakthrough

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Deputy Development Minister Stavros Kalafatis represented the Greek government at events marking the 108th anniversary of the Macedonian Front breakthrough in Paionia, Kilkis.

Mr Kalafatis attended the commemorations as a representative of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the Greek government. Following a memorial service at the Allied Monument, he laid a wreath at the Monument to the Fallen.

In his address, Mr Kalafatis said the anniversary commemorates a historic event that marked a critical turning point in the First World War and left its mark on the history of Macedonia and Europe.

“People from different countries, speaking different languages and following different paths, found themselves on the same front 108 years ago, facing the harsh conditions of a war that shook the entire continent,” he said, referring to the conflict remembered worldwide as the Great War.

Mr Kalafatis said historical memory also carries responsibility for the present and serves as a legacy for the future.

He recalled how the attack at Dobro Pole and the Battle of Doiran led to the Armistice of Thessaloniki, the collapse of the Macedonian Front and, ultimately, the general armistice of 11 November 1918.

The Deputy Minister also drew a parallel with conflicts in Greece’s wider neighbourhood, saying recent developments have demonstrated similar stagnation and fatigue.

“Peace, cooperation and mutual respect between peoples are not self-evident goods. They are achievements that require constant effort and constant defence,” he said.

Mr Kalafatis said the Greek government, led by Prime Minister Mitsotakis, remains committed to ensuring that Greece plays an active role in regional and international developments rather than simply observing from the sidelines.

“Greece sets its red lines and does not retreat a single centimetre from them,” he said.

He pointed to Greece’s acquisition of Rafale fighter jets and Belharra frigates, the country’s plans to receive F-35 fighter jets and Italian frigates, and the development of the “Achilles Shield” defence system.

He also highlighted government measures concerning personnel in the Armed Forces and Security Forces, as well as residents of Greece’s border regions.

“At the same time, as the Prime Minister stressed from the UN podium, we are bridge-builders, not troublemakers,” Mr Kalafatis said.

He described Greece’s geographical position as a factor that encourages the country to act as a bridge between Europe and its wider neighbourhood.

“We are at a crossroads and have now become a pillar of stability, connectivity and peace,” he said, while acknowledging that Greece operates in an era of major geopolitical change.

Mr Kalafatis concluded by honouring the fallen of the Macedonian Front and all those who experienced the devastating consequences of war.

“We honour historical memory and keep it alive, not only to remember what happened, but above all to build a future where peoples meet on fields of cooperation and not on battlefields,” he said.

“Eternal memory to the fallen.”

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