It was left to the judgment of General Katsimitros, commanding the 8th Infantry Division based in Ioannina, to choose which plan to follow.

[4] A significant factor favoring the Greeks was that they had obtained intelligence about the approximate date of the attack, and had just completed a limited mobilization in the areas facing the Italians.

The defensive line near the Greek-Albanian border could be only thinly manned before the general mobilization and concentration could be completed and thus was expected to only delay the advance of enemy forces.

[4] General Katsimitros, commanding the Greek 8th Infantry Division covering that part of the border, realized the defensive value of the mountainous and marshy terrain, which would partially negate the Italian superiority in men and tanks.

Contrary to the directives from the High Command under Lieutenant General Alexander Papagos, he concentrated the main forces of his division there, with the intention of giving all-out battle.

On this day, after repeated air and artillery strikes, the Italian infantry of the Ferrara Division attacked unsuccessfully in order to advance the bulk of their forces closer to the Elaia sector.