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Greece, Macedonia and Serbia want to build a canal that, according to Alexis Tsipras, "can change the geography of the Balkans".
This is what the German newspaper Die Welt emphasizes by referring to plans to build a Danube channel linking the Mediterranean.
"It's an impressive project aiming the Danube connection through Moravia with Axios, and the Termik Bay, west of Thessaloniki to the Aegean," the report said. If the project is implemented, it will be one of the largest in Europe.Estimates suggest the project could reach a cost of 17 billion of euros.
The construction of the canal can be done within six months as soon as investors find it, and it is further explained that Chinese companies have shown interest.
Die Welt refers to Yannis Boutaris, the mayor of Thessaloniki, who said that during his visit to Skopje, Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov gave him a video describing the dream for this canal.
The project for building this project is also cited by the German n-tv news network in its online version.
"The dream of a canal. An ambitious project in the Balkans: Greeks, Serbs and Macedonians want to open a navigable canal that will connect the Danube to the Mediterranean. The visionary plan can change forever all the region," the television network report.
Moreover, the project is considered of historic size as it gives a new impetus to economic and trade activity in the region.