The mayor of Alexandroupolis, Yiannis Zamboukis, sends out a "distress signal" about the population changes in the border region of Evros, on the borders with Turkey and Bulgaria. As he points out, Bulgarians and Turks are buying properties in ruined villages in Evros, thus drastically changing the Greek character of the border area.
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Specifically, in an interview with Realfm 97.8 on Thursday, Mr. Zamboukis said:
"I have too many reports from Bulgarians and Turks, from foreigners who come and buy property in the area. I leave out the part of rich Bulgarians and Turks, who come and usually buy seaside properties along the Thracian Sea throughout the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace." He continued:
"The important thing, which I would point out, is that it is very easy for Bulgarians, our fellow European citizens to come with the crossing borders open for a few weeks now – with the new year if I am not mistaken – who buy houses worth only 10,000, 15,000, 20,000 euros at most in the ruined, abandoned villages of Evros.
There are also Turkish companies with foreign funds outside the European Union, which with a very simple registration with the Chamber of Evros and the issuance of a tax register, a VAT number, also buy real estate. The usual practice is to set up these companies in Bulgaria and then open branches in the Evros region, and in this way Turks come and live constantly."
Mr. Zamboukis anxiously adds:
"What I propose and highlight as an issue is from Bulgarians and Turks who come and buy ruined villages. They change the population composition of the ruined villages of Evros along the river.
Alexandroupolis is on a trajectory of overdevelopment from 2019 onwards and everyone is descending on Alexandroupolis. Where we were a city of 82,000 we have come to be a municipality of 110,000.
"We don't fit. We understand that the demographic picture of the region is also changing, leaving only the elderly in the villages, who obviously cannot support either economic activities or be able to veto this restructuring of the population, which takes place year after year and quietly. That's what's dangerous."
