This year, the challenges and opportunities facing Thrace were the focus of an event organized by the Paremvasi Think Tank in Thessaloniki. The honorary guest, New Democracy MP for Rodopi Evripidis Stylianidis, addressed the region’s development outlook, emphasizing the need for comprehensive policies that promote social cohesion and sustainable growth.
The discussion highlighted Thrace’s strategic role as an external border of the EU, a gateway to the Balkans, and a key hub for geopolitical stability, energy corridors, and economic connectivity in Southeastern Europe.
In this context, Leonidas Bakouras, General Manager of Thracean Mining, noted that the planned mining project in Perama, Evros, strengthens the region’s development prospects, describing it as a comprehensive proposal for the wider area.
The Perama project has been designed in line with the latest developments in the mining sector, incorporating international safety and environmental protection standards, and is expected to further strengthen Greece’s position among Europe’s mineral-producing countries.
At the same time, Mr. Bakouras explained that the investment plan will make a significant contribution to both the national economy and Thrace’s local economies, while creating high-quality, long-term jobs that the region urgently needs. Like the rest of the country, Thrace is facing Greece’s demographic challenge, and investments such as the one planned by Eldorado Gold (through its subsidiary Thracean Mining) can form part of the solution.
In closing, Mr. Bakouras stressed that Eldorado Gold is one of the largest foreign direct investors in Greece. He also pointed to the successful example of the Kassandra Mines in Halkidiki, where commercial operations at the state-of-the-art Skouries mine are expected to begin in the coming months.