The privatization of the Alexandroupolis port – a key point of entry to Europe for arms and energy imports – will be concluded this week under the Economic Adjustment Program pushed by Brussels
By Andrés Mourenza
It was once hard to locate the quiet port city of Alexandroupolis on a map. Recently, however, it has grown in strategic importance as Washington strengthens military ties with Greece. This has been to the detriment of America’s longtime ally, Turkey, as the authoritarian President Erdogan is increasingly distrusted by Western leaders.
Alexandroupolis is a crucial entry point for the shipment of military material to Ukraine, as well as a strategic location for the diversification of European energy sources. It is located in the far northeast of the country, 18 miles west of the Turkish border and 30 miles south of Bulgaria.
Over the last three years, the United States and Greece have signed agreements to strengthen their defense cooperation and guarantee “unlimited access” to a series of Hellenic military bases. Among these is a Greek Armed Forces installation in Alexandroupolis. Since this collaboration began, the port has experienced unusually high traffic of military ships, so much so that, when 1,500 Marines from the USS Arlington docked in May, the city’s 57,000 inhabitants faced shortages of some products, such as eggs and tobacco.
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