Greek MP proposes state of emergency for Meriç amid severe water shortages
Evros MP Anastasios Dimoschakis has formally requested that the entire Meriç regional unit be declared in a state of emergency, citing a critical water shortage that threatens agricultural livelihoods and regional stability.
On the morning of July 9, Dimoschakis urgently briefed the Ministers of Foreign Affairs and Environment & Energy, later following up with confidential letters warning of an escalating crisis in the region.
According to his statements, farmers and livestock breeders have expressed grave concerns over diminishing water supplies. In northern Dimoschakis, the situation is especially dire: unless Bulgaria releases its agreed-upon water share, as outlined in the bilateral water management agreement, the entire growing season may be lost, causing irreversible damage to agricultural output.
In the central and southern parts of the region, ongoing drought conditions have drastically lowered river levels, with some areas facing complete water depletion. The problem is further aggravated by unilateral technical interventions by Türkiye and worsening drought conditions in the Evros Delta, raising alarms over environmental sustainability and cross-border water governance.
In his latest appeal, Dimoschakis urged the government to declare Meriç a state of emergency immediately to accelerate bureaucratic procedures, mobilize resources, and halt the worsening crisis.
The proposal aims to activate national emergency mechanisms to mitigate what Dimoschakis describes as a “threatening trajectory” for the region’s future.
