EU Commissioner Apostolos Tzitzikostas calls Thrace the “Development Lung of Europe”
Apostolos Tzitzikostas declared that Thrace should become “a development lung of Europe” rather than merely a geopolitical shield, during a special honorary doctorate ceremony at Democritus University of Thrace in Gümülcine.
The European Commissioner for Sustainable Transport and Tourism was awarded an honorary doctorate by the Department of Economics of the university’s School of Social, Political and Economic Sciences during an official ceremony attended by academic leaders, local authorities, and students.
Speaking at the event, Tzitzikostas emphasized the growing strategic importance of Thrace for both Greece and the European Union, stating that “Thrace is not at the edge of Greece, but at the beginning of Europe.”
Thrace Positioned as Europe’s New Strategic Transport Hub
A central focus of the Commissioner’s speech was the upcoming vertical railway and highway corridor linking Greece with Bulgaria and Romania. The infrastructure project is expected to connect the Aegean Sea with the Black Sea and strengthen trade, mobility, energy security, and European defense capabilities.
According to Tzitzikostas, the Selanik–Dedeağaç–Bucharest axis will become a new “backbone of extroversion, security, and commerce” for Europe.
He described the project as a major geopolitical initiative that will provide an alternative trade and energy route bypassing the Bosporus Straits, while elevating Alexandroupoli into a critical hub for EU and NATO military mobility and energy security.
The project is expected to receive funding through European Union resources and is seen as a cornerstone of regional development policy in northeastern Greece.
Europe Day Symbolism and Regional Identity
The ceremony coincided with Europe Day celebrations on May 9, adding symbolic weight to the event. Tzitzikostas argued that border regions such as Thrace understand Europe’s geopolitical and cultural value more deeply because they experience both the physical and symbolic dimensions of European frontiers.
Referencing ongoing geopolitical crises and wars, the Commissioner expressed optimism about Europe’s future, arguing that the European Union historically grows stronger through crises. He pointed to stronger European defense coordination, industrial competitiveness, and energy autonomy as examples of the EU’s evolving strategic direction.
He also praised Greece’s economic recovery over the past decade, highlighting the country’s transformation from financial crisis to one of the European Union’s fastest-growing economies.
Democritus University Praises European Vision
University Rector Fotis Maris described Tzitzikostas as a political figure who successfully connected local governance with the broader European vision.
Faculty representatives stressed that the honorary distinction recognized not only his political achievements but also his contribution to European integration, regional development, and institutional cooperation.
The university highlighted its own role as a regional development pillar and a bridge connecting Greece’s northeastern frontier with the wider European Higher Education and Research Area.
Message to Students: Universities Shape Europe’s Future
Closing his speech, Tzitzikostas addressed students directly, describing universities as “the collective mind of Europe” and places where critical thinking defeats prejudice and ignorance.
He pledged continued support for a Europe that invests in its regions, trusts its universities, and remains globally competitive.
“Universities are not simply part of Europe’s future,” he said. “They are the laboratories that will open the roads of the future.”
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