Need for change of the mental schema of Thrace

Writes Nikos Lygeros

Translated from the Greek by Paola Vagioni

The need to change the mental schema of Thrace becomes more and more felt in greek facts due to the pressures that exist at the interstate level. In an absurd way, many continue to see our Thrace simply as a marginal territory. Its problems do not really preoccupy the power centers except those of Turkey. While the integration of Bulgaria and Romania has reinforced the European framework of Thrace. There are many possibilities in the area that remain possibilities, since they are not being materialized. On the other hand, Thrace is a historical target that steadily follows the course of Imvros, Tenedos and Cyprus. Geostrategically the whole issue is an extension of Eastern Thrace, that was sacrificed on the temple of greek strategy. Topostrategically, the field of action is clear and all that remains is the transformation into a battle field. In consequence, we wonder why there is such a big inertia of thought as far as the future of Thrace is concerned. A whole nation cannot realize that the conditions that exist, are capable of provoking a change of phase. Doesn’t anyone remember how Eastern Thrace was lost? Nobody sees why we are talking about Western Thrace? Nobody takes into consideration the population data? What are the criteria that need to be activated in order to comprehend in a wider frame that little by little Thrace is becoming a Thracian problem? The change of phase that happened in Cyprus in 1974, who had foreseen it even one year in advance? Is it necessary for a crisis to appear in order to begin to face it? There are timeless geostrategic facts that topostrategy reveals. Why not comprise them in our mental sphere in order to evolve our thought and for our decisions to become more efficient? Why wait innocently for the political status quo that examines the case of Thrace only when there are elections and never afterwards? Thrace is a treasure for Greece, but we have to open it and not just see it as an old trunk. Moreover, we are generally talking about Thrace and we do not examine the Thracians. Not that the problem is found on a local level, but there is also the human factor. This mental schema is proven by the existence of Artsakh in relation to the Armenians against the Azeries. The territory needs its people as well. Not only to live and cultivate land, but also to sacrifice themselves when there is need. If there weren’t any men who believed in the land of their ancestors in Artsakh, there would no longer be any Armenian element in the whole territory. When a company of commandos is capable of standing between the enemy and a convent of many centuries ago, the message is crystal clear. When the symbol of Artsakh is the heads of grandfather and grandmother, implying that the bodies are rooted deep inside the earth, the enemy knows what he has to face if he provokes any kind of combat. If Greece will have the same meaning for some even without Thrace, let them explain it to us, since we see things differently.