Eastern Macedonia & Thrace joins island strategy talks

Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMT) has expressed its intent to join the network of Greek island regions, aligning itself with collaborative efforts to boost sustainable tourism and regional development.

Following an invitation from the North Aegean Governor, Konstantinos Moutzouris, EMT Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis visited Mytilene on Friday, July 11. There, he participated in strategic discussions surrounding the "Corfu Declaration," signed by the governors of the North Aegean (Moutzouris), South Aegean (George Hatzimarkos), and Ionian Islands (Ioannis Trepeklis).

The declaration outlines a cooperation framework focusing on sustainable tourism, innovation, cultural identity, and economic resilience. During his visit, Topsidis declared EMT’s willingness to be included in this strategic alliance, highlighting the region's two significant islands, Samothrace and Thasos, as having "unique characteristics and vast potential."

Topsidis also attended a working meeting with Deputy Minister of Shipping and Island Policy Stefanos Gikas and General Secretary for the Aegean and Island Policy Manolis Koutoulakis. Among the key topics discussed was the planning of Ro-Ro maritime transport.

The EMT governor emphasized the strategic importance of linking Alexandroupoli with Mytilene and Chios to streamline the supply of animal feed and other goods to the North Aegean.

"Cooperation among regions, access to European funding, green development, and smart tourism resource management are tomorrow’s challenges—and EMT is ready. Samothrace and Thasos are true gems of the northern Aegean that deserve to be integrated into common European strategies for sustainable tourism," Topsidis stated.

He also thanked Moutzouris for the invitation, describing the meeting as "a gathering rich in symbolism, but more importantly, a step forward toward a shared island strategy."

Source: Paratiritis News