Greek PM says he is "very proud" of his son who is doing military service on Greek-Turkish border

The Greek Prime Minister has gone to Instagram to express how proud he is of his son doing his military service.

"Very proud father! I'm sorry that, due to Covid, I could not come to Alexandroupolis to brag about you!" said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis on the social media platform.

Earlier this month it was reported that the 22-year-old Konstantinos Mitsotakis decided to begin his military service.

Konstantinos is based in Evros on the Greek-Turkish border and joined an artillery unit, as previously reported by Greek City Times.

The son of the prime minister decided to do his military service before beginning his Masters degree at university.

The young Mitsotakis completed his undergraduate studies in Boston last May and has been stuck in Greece for the last few months because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Unable to return to Boston to continue his Masters degree, the 22-year-old decided now was the best opportunity for him to complete his mandatory military service.

Greece has mandatory military service for all male citizens, usually 9 months for those born and permanently living in Greece, and 3 months for the diaspora community.

It should be noted that recruits are no longer presented at training centers and then receive a travel document for the unit they will serve, but are presented directly to the unit where they will complete their military service.

Meanwhile, the possibility of compulsory military conscription at the age of 18 is under consideration, Mitsotakis said earlier this month.

As he said, there are examples from countries, like Cyprus and Israel, where the measure is in force as it creates equal conditions for all conscripts, despite delaying the individual from going to university by one year.

“We are looking at all aspects of the term,” the prime minister said, adding that the term would not be extended beyond 12 months, but that the issue was open and there was no decision.