Apostolos Tomaras
The ambiguity surrounding Cyprus's electrical interconnection with Europe is coming to an end. Cyprus must now decide who to align with and who to distance itself from. The outcome of this afternoon's meeting at the Presidential Palace will shape the country's energy future. President Nikos Christodoulides’s presence could be pivotal in overcoming the existing obstacles, potentially ending Cyprus's status as the only isolated energy member state of the EU.
The meeting in Nicosia aims to secure clear commitments from the Cypriot side, which should avoid using concerns as a pretext for inaction. Cyprus is caught between two perspectives: those who recognize the long-term economic and geopolitical benefits and those who have only recently acknowledged consumer interests. The President must disregard those who, working behind the scenes, continue to hold the country hostage to outdated practices for their economic gain. For 20 years, these people have obstructed efforts to move Cyprus away from fuel oil, forcing Cypriot consumers to pay €0.33 per kilowatt-hour, while European consumers pay €0.15.
For 20 years, these people have obstructed efforts to move Cyprus away from fuel oil, forcing Cypriot consumers to pay €0.33 per kilowatt-hour, while European consumers pay €0.15.
The stance of the Cypriot side should not be dictated by the temporary notion that consumers will bear an undue burden. Some who claim to advocate for the interests of the Cypriot consumer are selling electricity at €0.18 per kilowatt-hour when, for example, production costs in Germany are €0.4 cents. These are the same individuals who have repeatedly sabotaged the import of natural gas (FA), insisting that Cyprus would develop its own. Nearly 20 years later, Cyprus's natural gas remains an unfulfilled promise, and the country remains trapped by the personal interests of a few.
A negative decision would mean that Cyprus would continue to pay nearly €240 million a year for pollutants and remain hostage to narrow economic interests. The President has a responsibility to mitigate the financial burden on consumers from the cable’s construction but not to undermine the project itself. A positive stance on the cable is the only viable path, and the Cypriot side must approach today's meeting with this perspective. The stakeholders attending the meeting in Nicosia are not there for casual discussions; they expect final decisions that should have been made last summer.
Unlike the situation with Vasilikos, where the government had to manage an inherited issue, the power cable scenario was shaped under the auspices of the current administration, which will be judged on its policy decisions. The government must prioritize the country's real interests by making bold decisions and resisting the allure of populist rhetoric.
[This op-ed was translated from its Greek original]
