From Parthenon to Protests: How U.S.-Europe Tensions Threaten 2,000-Year-Old Craft
Picture this: the same marble that built Athens’ iconic Acropolis now sits at the center of a 21st-century trade squabble. Greece’s $2.68 billion marble industry – sustaining thousands in northern communities – faces existential threats from proposed U.S. tariffs of up to 50% 🌐💼
"The pressure is everywhere – not just here," says Ioulia Chaida of marble giant Iktinos, echoing workers’ fears in quarries from Drama to Thassos.
💸 When Stone Meets Silicon Valley
With China’s #marblemarket softening post-U.S.-China trade conflicts, Greek exporters pivoted westward – just as new tariff walls began rising. U.S. importers like Nikos Koleidis report slashing orders by 75%, fearing price hikes: "We can’t match China or Turkey now."
🚛 Ripples Through Mountain Towns
Transport boss Spyros Papamarinos captures the human stakes: "If the marble stops, what happens to the café, gas station, electrician?" Over 7 daily shipments fund his family – a livelihood mirrored across communities where antiquity meets globalization.
"I’ve got a 9-year-old," says quarry manager Alexandros Zorpidis. "What future do we build if this collapses?"
Industry leaders warn recovery could take generations once markets shift. As machines hum in Volakas quarries, all eyes watch Washington – where ancient craftsmanship now battles modern geopolitics. ⚖️🇬🇷
