Evangelos Apostolakis

Evangelos Apostolakis is a retired Admiral of the Hellenic Navy and a politician who served as the Minister for National Defence of Greece. His distinguished military career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff, the highest-ranking officer in the Hellenic Armed Forces. Following his retirement, he entered politics with the New Democracy party, assuming the defence portfolio in the first cabinet of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Early life and education

He was born in 1957 in the city of Chania on the island of Crete. He entered the Hellenic Naval Academy in 1975, graduating in 1979 as a Line officer of the Hellenic Navy. His early naval education was followed by specialized training in submarine warfare, including courses at the Submarine Command Course in the United Kingdom. He furthered his strategic education by attending the Hellenic National Defence College and the NATO Defense College in Rome, preparing him for high command and staff roles within the Hellenic Armed Forces and the NATO alliance.

Military career

His operational career included command of the HS ''Themistokles'', a ''Elli''-class frigate, and later, command of the Hellenic Fleet, the main operational force of the Hellenic Navy. He served in various key staff positions, including Chief of Staff at the Hellenic Fleet Headquarters and Director of the Hellenic Navy General Staff's Operations Directorate. He was appointed Chief of the Hellenic Navy General Staff in 2011, before being promoted to Chief of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff later that same year, succeeding General Ioannis Giagkos. In this supreme role, he oversaw Greece's participation in international missions such as Operation Enduring Freedom – Horn of Africa and managed the strategic direction of the Hellenic Army, Hellenic Air Force, and Hellenic Navy until his retirement in 2015.

Political career

After retiring from active service, he entered the political arena. He was elected as a member of the Hellenic Parliament for the New Democracy party in the July 2019 national elections, representing the Athens B constituency. His extensive military background made him a prominent candidate for the defence portfolio in the new government formed by Kyriakos Mitsotakis following the victory of New Democracy.

Minister of National Defence

He was sworn in as Minister for National Defence on 13 June 2019. His tenure focused on modernizing the Hellenic Armed Forces, strengthening Greece's defence partnerships within NATO, and managing regional security challenges in the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean. Key issues during his term included tensions with Turkey over maritime zones, the procurement of new defence equipment, and enhancing military cooperation with countries like the United States, France, and Israel. He served in this capacity until a cabinet reshuffle in January 2020, when he was succeeded by Nikos Panagiotopoulos.

Personal life

He is married and has children. Details about his family life remain private. Since leaving the ministry, he has remained involved in public discourse on defence and security matters, occasionally contributing analysis on geopolitical developments affecting Greece and the Balkans.

Category:1957 births Category:Living people Category:People from Chania Category:Hellenic Navy admirals Category:Chiefs of the Hellenic National Defence General Staff Category:Greek Ministers of National Defence Category:New Democracy (Greece) politicians Category:Members of the Hellenic Parliament