Residents of Thesprotia, a border region neighboring Albania, protested on Friday in Athens in front of the Ministry of National Defense, opposing the reduction of military presence in the border area, according to Greek media reports.
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| Greek protesters in Thesprot with banners reading "No to the Closure of Military Unit Number 628" |
Protests began this week in the town of Filiates, then moved to the port city of Igoumenitsa, and finally to the Greek capital, Athens.
According to Greek media, residents and local officials argue that the decision to close the military unit in Filiates has consequences for the security of the area as well as for the economic and social life of the region, which, according to them, is experiencing deep depopulation.
The military unit has provided employment for hundreds of people and contributed to the economic life of the region, local media report.
Greek news outlets stated that on Friday, the mayors of Filiates, Igoumenitsa, and Souli, along with two municipal representatives from Arta, met with the Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Defense, Antonio Oikonomou. They submitted a resolution outlining arguments in favor of maintaining a military presence in the remote areas of Thesprotia.
This border area has been known in recent years for various forms of illegal trafficking involving both Albanian and Greek criminal groups, particularly drug smuggling from Albania to Greece and the illegal movement of migrants across the Greek-Albanian border.
The Greek Ministry of Defense has declared that as part of a new strategic plan for the armed forces, it intends to close 132 of the 837 existing military units.
Some of the military structures expected to be downsized under the Greek defense authorities’ decision have been stationed near the Albanian border for years.