Greece’s Defense Minister Nikos Dendias announced on Thursday sweeping reforms in the Armed Forces of the country. These reforms are part of the broader “Agenda 2030”, a strategic initiative aimed at modernizing and reorganizing the Greek military in both structure and function.
Starting on January 1, 2026, conscripts will no longer be used in the Hellenic Navy and Hellenic Air Force, with all conscripts taken into the Army (Ground Forces). Conscripts will also follow a new training program, which will be announced in September, Defense Minister Nikos Dendias said, among others.
Dendias also announced that the compensation for conscripts will increase to 50 euros per month, from the current 8.8 euros, while for those serving in border areas it will rise to 100 euros per month. The increase will take effect from January 1, 2026.
The duration of military service is also being adjusted. Conscripts in urban centers will serve for 12 months, while those deployed to border areas will serve only 9 months. Changes in training practices have also been announced, although specific details remain forthcoming.
A key part of the reforms will be the expansion of the military housing program. This follows the recent submission to Parliament of a bill allowing for the development of military-owned real estate. The proposed legislation includes the establishment of a National Defense Property Fund and a dedicated agency to manage and develop military property assets.
Additionally, new fortification works are planned for military facilities to bolster defense infrastructure.
Furthermore, the minister emphasized that the New Structure of the Forces is based on the principles of adaptability, flexibility, and efficiency, with joint-service cooperation and network-centric operations, involving rationalisation of personnel allocation through the merging of military bases as well as the establishment of new units and departments.
He said that 45 additional military bases will be merged, while noting that 137 have already merged.” Minister Dendias has already addressed this issue publicly, stating, “We cannot have more military camps than the United States.”
At the same time, military courts are being reduced from 15 to 6, resulting in total savings of 85 million euros annually, plus another 16.5 million from the mergers.
