Hatzidakis: Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is a top government priority
“Eastern Macedonia and Thrace is a region of great priority for the government. Our will is to do everything possible to accelerate development in the region, for the benefit of all citizens,” stressed Deputy Prime Minister Kostis Hatzidakis during a meeting held Thursday in Gümülcine with the Regional Governor, local mayors, and the Rector of Democritus University of Thrace.
Hatzidakis announced that the development plans for Rhodope and Drama will soon be completed, ensuring that each Regional Unit will have its own comprehensive development strategy. “The battle we are fighting is a national battle, and we will win it together,” he emphasized.
The government delegation included Interior Minister Theodoros Livanios, Deputy Minister of Interior for Macedonia–Thrace Kostas Gioulekas, and Deputy Minister to the Prime Minister Thanasis Kontogeorgis.
Key Points from the Deputy PM’s Statements:
Housing for public servants: A new interministerial committee has been formed to address housing needs, with plans to utilize Armed Forces’ properties for both military staff and other civil servants, particularly in border regions like Thrace.
Democritus University of Thrace (DUTH): The Deputy PM praised the university’s outward-looking approach, stressing that its success will be judged on academic quality rather than the number of new departments.
Water management: Hatzidakis questioned whether the current fragmented model is sustainable, urging solutions that ensure economies of scale and better results, warning of future drought risks.
Municipal energy costs: He pledged to forward mayors’ proposals on energy communities to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, noting that municipalities producing their own power would address the issue permanently.
Labor programs (ages 55–67): He clarified that EU-backed employment schemes were designed to provide opportunities for beneficiaries, not to guarantee permanent positions.
Hatzidakis also referred to a series of recent public and private investment initiatives across all regional units of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, noting their contribution to local development and job creation.
The meeting was attended by Regional Governor Christodoulos Topsidis, President of the Regional Union of Municipalities and Mayor of Nestos Savvas Michailidis, mayors of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Rector of DUTH Fotis Maris, and Prime Minister’s Advisor Thanasis Nezis.
