Zeybek slams government over Western Thrace toll policy
Independent Member of Parliament for İskeçe (Xanthi), Hüseyin Zeybek, has strongly criticized the government over the decision to abolish toll exemptions previously granted to commercial vehicles from Western Thrace on the Egnatia Motorway.
In a written statement, Zeybek argued that the government is failing to defend the interests of the people of Western Thrace, accusing it of repeatedly ignoring key regional issues. He described the removal of toll-free passage as part of a broader pattern of neglect affecting the region.
Zeybek highlighted ongoing challenges in Western Thrace, including long-standing problems in healthcare, transportation, infrastructure, and development. He pointed to the nearly five-year closure of the intensive care unit at İskeçe (Xanthi) State Hospital, criticizing comments by a deputy minister who reportedly dismissed the issue as a “local matter.”
He also referred to the exclusion of an irrigation project intended to transfer water from the Karasu River to the İskeçe (Xanthi) plain from the Recovery and Resilience Fund, as well as the absence of major development initiatives in the region in recent years.
According to Zeybek, Western Thrace is being increasingly disconnected from the railway network, while rising living costs continue to place additional pressure on residents and businesses.
The MP said statements made in Parliament by Deputy Infrastructure Minister Nikos Tahiaos effectively confirmed the government’s intention to end toll exemptions for commercial vehicles on the Egnatia Motorway. He warned that the decision could soon extend to permanent residents of the region as well.
Zeybek further criticized what he described as “rude, dismissive, and unacceptable” remarks made by the deputy minister regarding Western Thrace, calling them politically dangerous and disconnected from reality.
He concluded by urging the prime minister and the government to reverse the decision, restore toll exemptions, and ensure fair treatment for the permanent residents of Western Thrace, especially at a time of rising transport and fuel costs that are already burdening local professionals and businesses.
