The Greek government is offering a €10,000 cash incentive to citizens who relocate permanently to the Evros region, a sparsely populated and strategically vital area along the land border with Turkey, in a new push to address demographic decline.
The plan, announced by Minister of Social Cohesion and Family Domna Michailidou, targets three municipalities in the northeastern border region: Orestiada, Soufli, and Didymoteicho.
“We are trying to motivate our citizens to move to our borders, to these municipalities that are surrounded by nature and are beautiful, so they have a state incentive,” Ms. Michailidou said in an interview on SKAI TV.
She clarified that the program is aimed exclusively at individuals and families who choose to move on their own accord and is not for public sector employees being transferred to the area. The government will also provide additional benefits to help new households establish themselves.
The initiative is part of a broader national strategy to reinforce Greece’s border regions, which have faced economic challenges and a shrinking population for years.
The Evros region, in particular, is a key focus of the government’s security and development policies due to its location on the frontier with Turkey.
An online platform for citizens to apply for the grant is expected to open within the next week.