At the core of the continued consultation of the government with local and productive bodies in the context of the national strategy for regional and local development, the demographic issue is found, the government’s presidency said in a statement. An issue that – proposed – is not only focused on the level of municipality and regional unit, but is linked to the common challenges and opportunities of the whole territory.

To halt the demographic shrinkage of remote areas, the Demographic Development Program is inaugurated today with the beginning of the Evros Regional Unity, the Deputy Minister of Prime Minister Thanassis Kontogeorgis said -a program, which provides for the provision of financial support to their financial support.

Applications are submitted through the special platform https://relocation.vouchers.gov.gr/ with the aim of re -making the villages of Evros the place of establishment for new families and people who want to build their lives there.

The measure, with a total budget of 10m euros from the Ministry of Social Cohesion and Family, is up to 1,000 citizens who will settle in Evros and provides for financial support to the beneficiaries up to 10,000 euros with an additional EUR 1,000 for each child. Following the pilot implementation of the program, it will be expanded to other remote and mountainous areas based on the evaluation of demographic and geographical conditions.

According to the same announcement, the government has made particular attention to the challenges and opportunities presented by the Evros region. Indicative, indeed, is that Evros was the starting station of the plan for local and regional development.

In Orestiada, in October 2024, in the presence of the Prime Minister, a complex plan of reconstruction and development of the area was presented, totaling more than 2.83 billion euros, which includes large infrastructure projects, projects of the integrated spatial investment “Evros after”, as well as 19+ meters. Most of the interventions announced, but also incorporated subsequently, have already been launched and implemented.

In particular, 47 projects in the fields of road infrastructure, irrigation and flood protection, social protection and support of entrepreneurship. Among them, the improvement of the Didymoteicho – Metaxades – Polia road network, as well as two programs for reinforcement of existing businesses (6 million euros) in the municipalities of Orestiada, Didymoteicho and Soufli and from the Municipality of Alexandroupolis in the settlements Baths, Aristotle.

At the same time, a special cycle of development law was established by the Ministry of Development, which concerns only border areas and provides for specific incentives and favorable arrangements for investment in mountainous areas. Specifically, increased rates of reinforcement depending on the size of the business and geographical location, reduced investment thresholds for very small businesses and flexibility in costs.

In addition, to reduce the shipping costs of Evros businesses, the government approved the subsidy of a cyclical weekly ferry connection with Piraeus, with intermediate stops in Chios and Mytilene and the competition is expected to be announced immediately.

As for the connectivity of the area, in October 2024, the Alexandroupolis – Orestiada passenger railway line was reopened and the routes continue normally and will be part of the modern line.

In the field of Education, the positive recommendation of the National Authority of Higher Education (ETHAAE) was issued for the strategic establishment of the Veterinary School based in Orestiada and in April 2025, a Presidential Decree was signed by the Ministry of Education and Religions.

Regarding the two postgraduate programs of the DUI, for the “Analysis and Management of Anthropogenic and Natural Disasters” program to be implemented by the Department of Civil Engineering, the dossier of the dossier to ETHAEE is expected to be submitted immediately, while the “Climate and Climate Change” program will be implemented by 50%.

In health and in order to ensure the equal access of all citizens to prevention and health care, the operation of Mobile Health Groups (KOMY) in Evros (Ormenio, Right, Ptele and Petrotas) began, through which telemediches are provided with medical examinations.

To enhance employment and the labor market in Evros, targeted DBA programs are implemented, with a budget of € 19.6 million, while the public sector has been reinforced for locality and now provided 40 points to permanent residents of islands, mountainous and remote areas and 20 molecules. Also, the exemption of real estate and legal persons in Soufli has already been voted on from ENFIA from 1.1.2025 for 3 years.

In the context of the overall planning, the government’s care and the aim of the government is for the mountainous and isolated areas in general, and in particular Evros, not treated as lags, but as dynamic regeneration zones. The strategic plan to revitalize mountainous and remote areas is a distinct pillar of national strategy and will be presented in its entirety in 2025 based on local development plans developed in collaboration with local communities and national horizontal policies.

The implementation of the installation incentive already shows that the mountainliness plan is not absorbed or dispersed in general regional policy reports, but is for the first time an autonomous and distinct axis of the national strategy for regional development.

As the Deputy Minister of Foreign Minister, Th. Kontogeorgis, pointed out, “We prioritize housing, work, health and education that are the key minimum conditions for the rejuvenation of several areas. The Demographic Development Program is linked to all the more specific policies concerning the benefits that must exist in each region to meet the conditions of a sustainable regeneration. “