The opportunity to “change track” is given to Alexandroupolis and Greece by the large energy projects being carried out on the Evros, such as the FSRU, as pointed out today by the Minister of Development, Adonis Georgiadis, who announced more investments by large investment groups in the region, mainly in the area of logistics.

“I consider the FSRU as the “number one” project in Greece today, because when you change track in energy, everyone sees you differently,” said the minister, speaking online at the 1st East Macedonia & Thrace Forum, which is organized by the Olympia Forum, in collaboration with the Municipality of Alexandroupoli, Energizing Greece and Hellas Journal.

“Alexandroupoli is entering a completely new trajectory and will be a different city in the coming years” he estimated and added that during a meeting of more than two hours, which he had in his office with the team of the American Secretary of State, Anthony Blinken, Alexandroupoli was one of the most basic topics discussed.

According to Mr. Georgiadis, Alexandroupolis and Thrace in general is perhaps the area for which the government and he personally have shown the greatest interest in recent years, with the aim of being a positive surprise for the Greek economy in the future.

When asked about the exact date of the national elections and whether this will be April 9, the Minister of Development referred to the official announcements, but pointed out that at a recent dinner with investors, they expressed the belief that if Kyriakos Mitsotakis is re-elected as Prime Minister independent in the upcoming elections, then the investment grade for Greece will not be delayed for more than three months. This means, he added, that significant additional investment capital will be released, which currently sits on hold, as it cannot be placed in non-investment grade countries.

Jobs and demographics in Evros

“Everyone is talking about an explosion of development in Alexandroupoli, but the point is to take advantage of the comparative advantages of the wider region,” said the deputy governor of Evros, Dimitris Petrovich, who described the Recovery and Reconstruction Fund as a very important development tool for Evros, “which it was once considered the edge of Greece and not its beginning as it is today”. He added that the region needs more investment and confidence to really develop, as today what is missing are jobs, which in turn exacerbates the demographic problem.

As he pointed out, last year in the region there was a very negative balance of 2200 deaths against 890 births. According to Mr. Petrovic, with projects such as the FSRU and the combined transport infrastructures, but also with the comparative advantages that allow the city to develop into a bypass of the Dardanelles Straits, Alexandroupolis acquires another dimension, a fact that not only benefits city, as it functions like a locomotive for the wider region.

The golden opportunity and the thorn of lack of long-term planning

In front of a golden opportunity to promote its positions and its advantages, but also to shake up its economy, Greece is at a time when global cosmogony is taking place in terms of the development model, with near-shoring and a tendency to return manufacturing to the West . This assessment was expressed by the president of the Association of Industries (SBE), entrepreneur Loukia Sarantis, who however pointed out that in order for the country to take advantage of this golden opportunity and develop industrially, it needs to decide what kind of industry it wants.

As he said, the great – as he described it – National Council for Industry was developed, which is in the right direction, but has not yet given writing samples, while pursuing the goal of making industry 15% of GDP by 2030 we have to think that “how and why we didn’t get there for so many years is not a coincidence”.

Manufacturing, he added, is a difficult thing and requires long-term planning, something that Greece unfortunately suffers from over time.

He emphasized that along with the very important projects and interventions that are being promoted, cuts need to be made to the speed of justice and the connection of the labor market with education. “We can’t talk about investments when it takes 10 years to settle a commercial dispute and 20 for an administrative case. Not even when we have 15% unemployment – 30% of which is for young people – and all businesses suffer from a lack of qualified staff” he noted .

The development plan for AMTH on the way to 2030

The MP referred to the development law and its special provisions for the unspoiled Evros, the development plan for Eastern Macedonia and Thrace on the way to 2030, the benefits of the transport equivalent, but also the large investments, such as the Power Generation Unit in Alexandroupoli of New Democracy, Christos Dermentzopoulos.

Regarding the development plan, he recalled that it includes more than 360 projects, with a budget of 6.8 billion Euros, while for the Power Generation Unit in Alexandroupoli he said that the investment, amounting to 400 million Euros, will create 800 jobs during its construction stage work and during its operation 100 permanent.

He added that the government’s targeting of the region is a policy mix that utilizes development tools, solves chronic problems and upgrades infrastructure, while at the same time promoting necessary reforms, always with the aim of development “passing” on to the citizens, since it makes no sense for a region to develop , but its inhabitants to remain stagnant.

The new investment landscape in Thrace and the Bosphorus by-pass

A new attractive investment landscape has been formed in Thrace, which projects as a factor of stability and security, at a time when the foundations of the global economy have been shaken and investors are looking for calm to place their capital. This belief was expressed by Ioannis Kirkinezis, director of business development at Hill International.

He recalled that the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace has five industrial areas, two industrial parks, seven border entrances (two to the east and five to the Balkans), a robust university community, three ports and two airports, energy self-sufficiency, FSRU (soon two), direct or close access to raw materials for industry, safety, tax incentives and combined transport possibilities, which allow bypassing the Bosphorus.

“Potentially, Thrace can develop into a bypass of the Bosphorus, with any huge economic and geostrategic benefits resulting from this, for Thrace and the entire country” he noted and added that the unique model of multiculturalism and harmonious coexistence of populations with different characteristics in region can be a development potential in itself and a bridge with neighboring markets and countries.

Outlook for a strong growth shock

Important work for the development of Thrace has been done in recent years and especially after 2019, by solving chronic problems and promoting important infrastructure projects, according to the president of the Professional & Industrial Chamber of Rodopi, Antonis Gravanis, who expressed the belief that the Recovery Fund and Reconstruction, combined with the ever-upgrading geopolitical role of the region, constitute a “historic opportunity for the region, to create a real strong development shock in the Region”.

He characterized as a very important political decision the transport equivalent, which comes – as he said – to cover decades of abuses in terms of transport costs for businesses in the region, while he asked to strengthen the existing network of DEDDIE, as in the Industrial Areas today there are small and medium manufacturing companies, who want to, but cannot invest to harness RES, as grid connectivity falters.

He added that the new development law is a very important tool, coming to correct years of failures and pathologies (the previous law, of 2016, turned out to be tragic as a result, as he said, as only six of the 300 companies completed investments), while he asked reinstatement of the measure for a 12% wage cost subsidy.

He said finally, that the development should concern the entire Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, as well as other areas, such as Komotini (which has the largest BIPE in Northern Greece, the seat of the IFT and direct access to the Bulgarian hinterland and from there to Europe ), have significant advantages.