On Wednesday, 24 June 2026, the oath-taking ceremony of Second Lieutenants, Class of 2026 “Lieutenant General Tasos Markou”, was held at the Hellenic Military Academy (Evelpidon) in Vari, Attica, in the presence of His Excellency, the President of the Republic, Mr. Konstantinos Tasoulas, who awarded the Officer’s swords to the new Officers.
The ceremony was attended by the Deputy Minister of National Defence Mr. Thanasis Davakis as representative of the Prime Minister, MP for the East Attica Constituency Mr. Makis Voridis as representative of the Speaker of the Hellenic Parliament, the Chief of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, General Dimitrios Choupis, the Mayor of Vari, Voula, and Vouliagmeni, Mr. Grigorios Konstantellos, the Metropolitan of Glyfada, Elliniko, Voula, Vouliagmeni & Vari, Mr. Antonios, the Metropolitan of Mesogaia and Lavreotiki, Mr. Nikolaos, the Chief of Hellenic Army General Staff, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis, the General Secretary of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic, Ambassador ad honorem Ms. Aliki Hatzi, Members of the Supreme Military Council, the Special Secretary of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic, Mr. Nikolaos Manouris, the President of the Court Martial Appeals Court, Lieutenant General Dimitrios Delis, the Commandant of the Hellenic Naval Academy, Rear Admiral Ioannis Retsas HN as representative of the Chief of Hellenic Navy General Staff, Vice Admiral Dimitrios – Eleftherios Kataras HN, the Commandant of the Hellenic Air Force Academy, Major General (HAF) Ioannis Karamanis as representative of the Chief of Hellenic Air Force General Staff, Lieutenant General (HAF) Dimosthenis Grigoriadis, Colonel Andreas Prodromou as representative of the Chief of Cypriot National Guard General Staff, Lieutenant General Emmanouil Theodorou, and the Chief Appellate Judge for Administrative Courts Ms. Theoni Livaditi.
The ceremony was also attended by Honorary Chiefs of Hellenic National Defence General Staff, Hellenic Army General Staff, and Cypriot National Guard General Staff, the Director of the Military Office of the Presidency of the Hellenic Republic, Vice Admiral Efthymios Mikros HN, representatives of the local government, active duty Armed and Security Forces officers, Ambassadors, foreign Defence and Military Attachés, retired Armed Forces officers, academic authorities, family members of the Class of 2026 hero Lieutenant General Tasos Markou, and other guests.
Graduates included 139 Second Lieutenants, of which 107 from Greece, 27 from Cyprus, 1 from Armenia, 1 from Montenegro, 1 from Senegal, and 2 from Tunisia.
Biography of Lieutenant General Tasos Markos
He was born in Paralimni, Cyprus, on 17 September 1936. He graduated from the Hellenic Military Academy in 1959 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant. He actively participated in the EOKA struggle and later served with dedication in the Cypriot Army, distinguishing himself for his bravery and leadership. During the Turkish invasion of Cyprus in 1974, as a Major and Commander of the 305th Infantry Battalion, he fought heroically in the area of Kythrea and Pentadaktylos. He went missing in August 1974 and is considered one of the most important heroes of modern Cypriot history. In 1976, the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Cyprus decided his promotion for gallant actions to Lieutenant Colonel, in 1992 to Major General, and in 2022 to Lieutenant General, thus honouring his contribution and sacrifice for the country.
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