Defence Minister Nikos Dendias described Thrace as strategically vital for Greece and said a major military housing programme was already improving living conditions for Armed Forces personnel and their families.
Dendias made the remarks on Friday, 13 February, during a visit to the headquarters of the 21st Armoured Brigade in Komotini, accompanied by the Hellenic Army General Staff chief, Lieutenant General Georgios Kostidis.
He said Greece was building 271 new homes in Thrace as part of a wider national plan that aimed to construct 10,500 residences and renovate another 7,000. Dendias described it as the largest housing programme in modern Greek history.
The minister stressed the importance of supporting military families, especially those living in border regions. He said the government also planned a broader package of social benefits, including childcare facilities, support for the elderly through assisted living, and improvements in the quality and pricing of goods at military stores.
Dendias said Komotini sat in a region that marked Europe’s borders and Greece’s eastern frontier. He also highlighted Thrace as a place where Greece demonstrated multicultural coexistence, including with the local Muslim community, while operating under the European Union’s framework of human rights protections.
During the visit, Dendias received briefings on the brigade’s mission, activities, and training. He later met Metropolitan Panteleimon of Maroneia and Komotini, as well as Rodopi MP Evripidis Stylianidis and the Regional Governor of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Christodoulos Topsidis.
Dendias and regional officials discussed expanding the Armed Forces’ footprint in Thrace through the “Agenda 2030” reform and the region’s growing geopolitical significance, including the role of Alexandroupoli port.
The minister also met representatives of the Rodopi Reserve Officers Association to discuss reforms to the reserve system under Agenda 2030.
Dendias visited the construction site of the new General Hospital of Komotini, which the Stavros Niarchos Foundation is funding. He praised the project’s design and credited architect Renzo Piano, calling it a landmark for Thrace.
He said the hospital would provide high-level healthcare services not only to Komotini and Thrace but also to the wider Balkan region. Dendias thanked the Niarchos Foundation and its president Andreas Dracopoulos, expressing hope the partnership would lead to further projects across Greece.
