Newsroom
Greece will not seek Turkey’s approval before moving ahead with the electricity cable linking Cyprus and Greece, Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis said, sending a blunt message to Ankara over the long-delayed project.
Speaking to Parapolitika FM, Gerapetritis said international law does not require Turkish consent for the Great Sea Interconnector, commonly known as the GSI.
“Turkey’s permission is not required, nor will it be requested,” he said.
The proposed undersea cable is designed to connect Cyprus to Greece’s electricity network through Crete and eventually extend to Israel. For ordinary consumers, the basic idea is simple: Cyprus would no longer have to produce all its electricity on the island and could buy or sell power through the wider European grid.
Cyprus is currently the European Union’s only member state without an electricity connection to another country, a major weakness whenever local power stations fail, fuel prices rise or demand surges during the summer.
Work could restart this year
Gerapetritis said the exact timetable would depend on the contractor’s plans but estimated that survey work and cable-laying preparations could resume in the coming months, possibly before the end of 2026.
That still leaves some uncertainty. Political backing alone cannot put a cable on the seabed. The contractor must organise ships, specialist crews, surveys and equipment before work can restart.
The project has already faced delays caused by questions over its cost, financing and technical planning, as well as tensions between Greece and Turkey over maritime rights in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkey has previously objected to survey work in waters along the proposed route, arguing that some areas fall within its maritime jurisdiction. Greece rejects those claims and says the cable is being developed in line with international law.
The GSI has also been recognised as a project of common European interest and receives funding from the European Commission. Athens argues that this gives it a wider European importance that should be respected by all countries in the region.
Athens preparing for possible Turkish reaction
Gerapetritis acknowledged that Turkey could respond when work resumes but said Greece is preparing for every possibility, from a limited diplomatic reaction to a more serious confrontation at sea.
“We are ready for any scenario, from the mildest to the most intense,” he said, adding that Athens was not alarmed but was closely monitoring developments.
His comments were intended to reassure both Cyprus and the project’s investors that Greece does not plan to step back if Ankara objects.
However, they do not remove the practical risk. Survey ships and cable-laying vessels must operate in sensitive areas of the eastern Mediterranean, where competing maritime claims have previously brought Greek and Turkish forces into close proximity.
Dialogue remains, but so do the disagreements
Despite the firm message on the cable, Gerapetritis said Greece remains committed to keeping communication channels with Turkey open.
He described the Athens Declaration as the foundation for a more organised dialogue between the two countries, intended to stop disagreements from growing into full-scale crises.
That dialogue, he said, has helped reduce violations and prevent major confrontations. It has not, however, persuaded Turkey to abandon positions it has held for decades.
For Cyprus, the latest statement is politically reassuring: Athens says the cable will not depend on Ankara’s blessing.
The more important test will come when ships return to the area and work actually begins. After years of announcements, delays and disputes, Cyprus needs more than another promise that the cable will move forward. It needs to see it entering the water.
