KASTORIA, Greece: For decades, Antonis Disios' workshop was abuzz with the sound of sewing machines stitching fur coats for his wealthy Russian buyers. In March, European Union sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war shut the business overnight.
Holding up a coat he said cost €30,000 to make using one of the most expensive furs in the world, Russian sable, he urged the EU to exempt the industry from sanctions.Kastoria is the heartland of a centuries-old fur industry in Greece, Europe's last remaining fur manufacturing centre and one of the few EU countries still allowing fur farming despite pressure from animal rights groups at home and abroad.
"Russians have traditionally been big buyers. The war has obviously stopped that, which is extremely good news," said Mark Glover, a spokesperson for Fur Free Alliance, a coalition of more than 50 animal protection groups around the world.The hit to Greece's fur trade echoes losses in other sectors, such as agriculture, since the war began. But nowhere is it as stark as in Kastoria, which survived the country's devastating, decade-long economic crisis thanks to its fur exports.
The sanctions also ban shops from selling to Russian tourists in Greece, because fur is considered a luxury good. During a visit to Kastoria in June, Akis Skertsos, a senior government minister, said the industry"will be supported - and we will do whatever we can for it to remain viable", but acknowledged the need for a shift to other activities as well.