On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the Imia crisis and the sacrifice of Hellenic Navy officers Christodoulos Karathanasis, Panagiotis Vlahakos, and Hektor Gialopsos, a hierarchical memorial service was held on Sunday, 1 February 2026, at 10:30 a.m., at the Holy Church of Saint Nicholas in Kalymnos, in the presence of Metropolitan Paisios.
This was followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the Imia Memorial by the local authorities, with the participation of schools, Scouts, Guides, and the Municipal Philharmonic Band. The keynote address of the day was delivered by educator Ioanna Theofanidou. The event served as a tribute to the memory of the fallen, who defended national sovereignty. Also present at the event was MP and leader of the party “Niki,” Dimitris Natsios.
