"It is our strategic priority, and it is important for this project to see the light of day as soon as possible," said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, spokesperson for the European Commission has said.
When asked about the 12 November meeting between Energy Commissioner Dan Jørgensen and the energy ministers of Greece and Cyprus, the Commission’s spokesperson for energy issues late on 13 November said that energy initiatives such as the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) were discussed.
"It is a project we strongly support, a project of common interest that receives funding through the Connecting Europe Facility (CEF)," the spokesperson said, noting that the project connects Cyprus with continental Europe to end the island’s energy isolation and help reduce energy prices for citizens.
"We will continue to do everything within our power and jurisdiction to help advance the GSI project, and to achieve this, the Commissioner looks forward to continuing cooperation with Greece and Cyprus," Itkonen added.
When questioned about the project’s timeline given the delays, the Commission spokesperson declined to provide details, stressing that implementation lies with the project promoters and that it would not be appropriate to announce timelines from the European Commission’s press room.
"Regarding the GSI, I have nothing to share regarding the timeline for the next meetings or specific steps. Yesterday’s meeting followed the teleconference held in October, so this is steady, continuous contact and stock-taking between the Commissioner and the ministers of Greece and Cyprus," she added.
A project of the highest importance for the European Commission
"We reaffirm that this is a project of the highest importance for the European Commission, as well as for the citizens of Cyprus and Greece. It is our strategic priority, and it is important for this project to see the light of day as soon as possible," the spokesperson emphasized. Regarding the timing of other energy projects, the spokesperson indicated that announcements related to interconnectivity would be made before Christmas, though not concerning the GSI project.
"It is again important to recall that we act within our competencies and capabilities—what we can do as the European Commission. What we can do is at the political and technical levels. We can reach out, we can have these discussions, we can see what we can do to help. But ultimately, the on-the-ground implementation of the project is the responsibility of the project promoters," the spokesperson stressed.
In response to a question about whether the Commission intends to engage with the Turkish side to explain the importance of the GSI project for the EU, Itkonen stated that there is currently no information regarding possible contacts between Commissioner Jørgensen and his Turkish counterparts, though she did not rule out such contacts. The Commission has publicly clarified its position on the significance of this project. "Obviously, I do not rule out contacts, but it is not something I can confirm at this time," the spokesperson added.
(Source: CNA)
