The Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection project is on a "decisive trajectory towards its implementation", according to Government Spokesperson Konstantinos Letymbiotis.
Speaking to Greece's OPEN television station about the latest developments surrounding the Great Sea Interconnector, Letymbiotis underlined the importance of the participation of a French company in the project, assessing that the new conditions strengthen not only the technical but also the geopolitical and diplomatic dimension of the electrical interconnection.
Asked whether French participation limits the geopolitical risk of the project, Letymbiotis stressed that the diplomatic strength of the Greek and Cypriot sides is being strengthened. “The entry of France strengthens, I think, much more the diplomatic power that the Republic of Cyprus, Greece together with France and the European Union have,” he said.
At the same time, the Cypriot Government Spokesperson particularly insisted on the European character of the electricity interconnection, noting that this is not a project that concerns exclusively Greece and Cyprus and stressed that this is a project of common European interest, while the European Commission has placed it high among its priorities for the EU's energy interconnection.
Responding to a question, Letymbiotis confirmed reports of communications between the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides, with the Prime Minister of Greece, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, and the French President, Emmanuel Macron. As he explained, the communications took place both before the official announcement of the French participation and in recent days. The goal, according to him, is “coordination at the highest political level” for a project that is a priority for Greece and Cyprus.
Regarding the possibility of a Turkish reaction at the start of the investigations, the Government Spokesperson avoided prejudging developments, underlining that Athens and Nicosia will first give space to diplomacy. At the same time, however, he stressed that the Republic of Cyprus will not put its sovereign rights in question nor tolerate their being questioned.
Regarding the financial aspect of the Great Sea Interconnector, Letymbiotis emphasised that Greece and Cyprus have jointly addressed the European Investment Bank in order to update the technical and financial data of the project and estimated that in the coming period there will be relevant updated studies, which will complete the picture of the progress of the project.
(Source: OPEN, CNA)
