Kathimerini: “Which Foreigners Are Buying Property in Evros?”
In particular, the purchase of modestly priced houses and hotels by Turkish capital-backed companies and Bulgarian citizens is being met with concern by local officials and conservative circles.
The report notes that a hotel in Alexandroupoli was recently pulled from auction at the last minute. It is widely speculated that the prospective buyer was a Turkish company that had previously expressed interest in the property. Additionally, another hotel in Alexandroupoli, named “Ira,” was sold in 2023 and is now being renovated by an investment group based in Edirne, Turkiye.
The article includes statements by Alexandroupoli’s Mayor, Yannis Zampoukis, who spoke at the East Macedonia–Thrace Forum, claiming a “silent settlement movement” is underway. He noted that Bulgarian nationals are buying abandoned village homes for as little as €10,000–15,000, but emphasized that the real risk lies in Turkish capital-backed companies easily acquiring property through official commercial registries.
Furthermore, 11 MPs from the ruling New Democracy Party — led by Rodopi MP Evripidis Stylianidis — submitted a written inquiry to Parliament.
The MPs highlighted a rise in real estate purchases, not only in border areas but also in defense-sensitive zones such as Eastern Macedonia–Thrace and the Eastern Aegean islands. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also endorsed the initiative during an address to his parliamentary group.
Based on information from local legal professionals and notaries, Kathimerini reports that a 2011 legislative reform removed the requirement for citizens and companies from EU member states to obtain special permits to purchase property in “border zones.” This regulation facilitates real estate purchases by companies established in Greece or other EU countries but funded by Turkish nationals.
According to data obtained by Kathimerini, foreigners have purchased 125 properties in the Evros region over the past five years. Meanwhile, real estate investments in the Eastern Aegean — particularly on Samos, Kos, and Rhodes — are under close observation by state authorities.
RODOPI - XANTHI - EVROS
The article also cites sources who claim that the majority of the properties are not being bought by Turkish companies but by Greek citizens from the minority in Western Thrace. These individuals are reportedly relocating from Rodopi and Xanthi to Evros in search of better living conditions, driven by economic motivations. Some argue that the issue is being exaggerated, generating unwarranted public distrust.
According to Kathimerini, the Greek government is shifting its focus from the identity of property owners to the source of their capital. Anti-money laundering authorities and the intelligence agency (EYP) have begun investigating financial flows related to property transactions in strategic areas. One recent case reportedly uncovered a money trail moving from Thrace to an Arab country and then to a terrorist organization via the UK.
Development or Decline? Politicians’ Contradictory Stance
As the Evros real estate purchases dominate Greek media coverage, particularly in Kathimerini, the approach taken by certain politicians — such as Rodopi MP Evripidis Stylianidis — is viewed as contradictory. On one hand, they advocate for the demographic and economic development of the region. On the other, they present potentially beneficial investments as national security threats.
According to a significant segment of the public, such narratives risk pushing the region into isolation and decline, rather than fostering growth and openness.
