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Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis reaffirmed Greece’s commitment to the Crete-Cyprus electricity interconnection project, stating that it will proceed as planned and “at the right time,” during a recent interview with mononews.gr.
“There has been absolutely no retreat,” Gerapetritis said in response to concerns about delays or a potential backtrack. He blamed what he called “professional patriots” for stoking public suspicion, emphasizing the project’s alignment with international law and ongoing planning by the responsible company.
He acknowledged Turkish naval activity near Kasos during last summer’s maritime survey but dismissed Ankara’s objections as rooted in an “illegal and null” Turkey-Libya memorandum. “We are talking about a maritime survey for the laying of surface electrical cables, which is fully protected under international law,” he said.
Gerapetritis emphasized that Greece continues to act within the bounds of international law and seeks regional cooperation. “We would like to submit a joint referral to The Hague for the delimitation of the Exclusive Economic Zone and the continental shelf with Turkey,” he noted.
The foreign minister also highlighted the recent submission of a long-pending Marine Spatial Planning framework, marking the first time Greece's right to extend its territorial waters to 12 nautical miles is formally documented in an international context.
He stressed that the involvement of U.S.-based Chevron in the region as a signal of international confidence in Greece’s sovereign rights.
The project’s timeline, Gerapetritis added, depends on technical planning and the phased issuance of NAVTEX notifications, due to the vast maritime distance and need to coordinate with commercial shipping traffic. “The right time is coming and it will come soon,” he reiterated.
