Mitsotakis highlights development support during visit to Rhodope
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis visited Rhodope on Tuesday, November 11, where he was welcomed by Christodoulos Topsidis, Governor of the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace (EMT).
During the visit, Governor Topsidis thanked the Prime Minister for the government’s continued interest and cooperation in the region and presented a development program outlining the area’s priorities, projects, and strategic plan for the coming years.
Mitsotakis was accompanied by Minister of Development Takis Theodorikakos, Deputy Prime Minister Athanasios Kontogiorgis, Deputy Minister of Interior Kostas Gioulekas, and New Democracy Party Secretary-General Kostas Skrekas.
First Stop: Maroneia
Mitsotakis began his tour in Maroneia, where he announced the construction of a marina within the municipality of Sapes–Maroneia, aimed at boosting local tourism. He also emphasized plans to connect Maroneia to the Meriç coastal zone through a new route.
The €10 million “Maroneia–Tashlik (Petrota) Coastal Road–Meriç Prefecture Border” project is expected to significantly strengthen the region’s tourism potential.
Governor Topsidis presented to the Prime Minister the Maroneia–Imaret coastal road plans, a proposal to upgrade the Imaret–Fener road (including the reinforcement of the Kochachay River crossing), and ongoing studies on the preservation of the Maroneia Cave and sustainable tourism development.
Visit to Gümülcine Industrial Area
Mitsotakis also visited the Natural Gas Compression Station located in the Gümülcine Industrial Zone.
In his remarks, the Prime Minister highlighted Greece’s — and particularly Thrace’s — strategic role as an international energy corridor, noting that the country has now become a regional energy hub.
He stated that the new station will not only strengthen Greece’s domestic energy network but also expand its capacity to export natural gas to neighboring countries, marking “a major step forward for regional energy security.”
Referring to the recent visit of a U.S. delegation, Mitsotakis stressed that the meetings reaffirmed Greece’s strategic position within the regional energy map.
“With gas supplies arriving from the U.S. — including LNG — Greece is becoming the starting point of the vertical energy corridor, delivering gas all the way to Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova, Ukraine, Slovakia, and Hungary,” he said.
He also underlined that these investments enhance Greece’s geopolitical role, noting that DESFA’s infrastructure projects play a key role in this process.
Komotini Visits and Hospital Construction
In Komotini, Mitsotakis visited the Cathedral of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary, where he was welcomed by Metropolitan Panteleimon. He also toured the Music High School, speaking with teachers and students, and later visited the Karatheodori Museum.
At the construction site of the new Komotini General Hospital, the Prime Minister described the project as a state-of-the-art facility meeting 21st-century standards.
“The new Komotini General Hospital will be one of the three jewels of our National Health System,” Mitsotakis said.
He emphasized the hospital’s importance, given the region’s specific needs and sensitivities, and noted that construction is expected to be completed in early 2027. Around the same period, two other hospitals funded by the Stavros Niarchos Foundation are also scheduled to open.
Upon completion, Mitsotakis said, Greece will gain some of the most modern and well-equipped hospitals in its National Health System.
Photo: Prime Minister GR (X)
