Residents of Thesprotia, a border region neighboring Albania, protested on Friday in Athens in front of the Ministry of National Defense against the reduction of the military presence in the cross-border region, Greek media reported.
The withdrawal of the 628th Infantry Battalion from Filiati, just a few kilometers from the border with Albania, as part of a reform in the Greek armed forces, has sparked strong reactions from residents and several local municipalities in recent days.
Protests began this week in the town of Filiati, then moved to the port city of Igoumenitsa, and recently to the Greek capital, Athens.
According to Greek media, local residents and elected officials argue that the decision to close the military base in Filiati has consequences for the region’s security and for its economic and social life, which they claim is experiencing significant depopulation.
The military base had provided employment for hundreds of people and contributed to the economic life of the region, according to local media.
Greek news outlets reported that three mayors from Filiati, Igoumenitsa, and Souli, as well as two from the municipalities of Arta, met with the Secretary-General of the Greek Ministry of Defense, Antonio Economou, and on Friday handed over a resolution presenting arguments in favor of maintaining a military presence in the deep areas of Thesprotia.
This cross-border region has been known in recent years for illegal trafficking activities by Albanian and Greek criminal groups, particularly drug smuggling from Albania to Greece and the movement of irregular migrants from Greece to Albania.
The Greek Ministry of Defense has announced that as part of a new strategy for the Greek armed forces, it plans to close 132 of the 837 existing military bases.
Some of the military structures that are expected to be reduced by the decision of the Greek defense authorities have been deployed near the border with Albania for many years. /VOA
