The new recruits are the future of the country and our homeland, stated the Minister of Defence, Charalambos Petridis, today after his visit to the camp “Sergeant Lazarou Georgiou” at Larnaca Training Center. There the Minister was informed about the 2020 Class classification process. In the statements, Mr. Petridis referred to the electronic classification process, which, as he said, is something that came to stay, as well as to the sampling tests for coronavirus, which will cover about 25-30% of the conscripts.

In his statements, the Minister stated that “today we have seen all the stages of the classification process” and added that “this year is the first time that all the information regarding the new recruits was made electronically and checked on the spot for transparency purposes.”

Also read: The classification of the new recruits of 2020 Class has started today

This process, he continued, due to the coronavirus pandemic, “concerns the gradual attendance of all conscripts in groups of five. The whole process takes about 30 minutes and every day, after being informed based on the software that ran a few days ago,” all conscripts go to the units where they will be classified.

The Minister of Defence expressed that this process “will be used in the future, we will consolidate and strengthen it if necessary, since it has tremendous developments regarding the electronic classification of conscripts and the way we are moving in this direction.” It is something that came to stay,” he said and noted that “Larnaca Training Centre (KEN) is fully equipped and the procedures are running smoothly.”

He added that “we will be by the side of the conscripts, it is the future of the country, the future of our homeland and we hope that they will gain enough experiences and weapons that will serve them in their subsequent course.”

Asked about the training and the oath ceremony of the new recruits, Mr. Petridis said that this year, due to the measures taken for the coronavirus, “the oath ceremony will take place without the attendance of any relatives. But those who came on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday will be allowed to leave from their units once, something that will be done every three days so as to avoid the crowds,” he said, adding that “we will see if there are any small problems for next year”.

Also read: New recruits classification | The admission process of the new Class continues

Asked whether the Ministry of National Defence and the National Guard are concerned about the fact that the conscripts will leave from their units every few days due to the coronavirus, Charalambos Petridis said that regarding the soldiers who live far from their camps, they will be allowed to leave “on weekends so as to have more time at their disposal. As for the ones who live nearer, they will have the opportunity to go out at least twice a week and we consider that it is within the framework of the health protocol which we strictly implement.”

To another question, the Minister answered that when he entered the TC Larnaca, he had his temperature checked “and the new recruits will have the same treatment”.

Asked whether the conscripts are being tested, Charalambos Petridis replied that “sampling is already taking place, it is among the thousand sampling tests that we have already announced. Some of the new recruits have already taken a sample test for coronavirus either in their schools or elsewhere, so we are again conducting sample checks at a rate of an additional 25-30%.”

Also read: Appointments of the new recruits 2020 Class in Combat Arms – Corps

Regarding the issue of the army fugitives, the Minister expressed that “it is at low levels, we do not have any problem at this stage. However, it is something that all sectors are informed about so that we can manage” this issue.

During his visit to TC Larnaca, the Minister of Defence was accompanied by the Chief of General Staff, Democritus Zervakis, the Commander of the 1st Brigade, Artillery Colonel Christoforou Christoforos, and the Commander of TC, Artillery Lieutenant Colonel Messiouris Andreas.

Source: CNA