Regarding the new bill for water management, which is expected to be put to public consultation in the coming days, the National Strategy for water, and the current political developments, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Stavros Papastavrou spoke in an interview he gave this morning on Mega television and the show “Koinonia Ora Mega”, with journalists Anthi Voulgari and Iordanis Hasapopoulos. As he said, the bill will then go to Parliament, where it is expected to be voted on within the summer.
Mr. Papastavrou emphasized that the problem with water is overall and requires a holistic management: “We need to proceed with a reform, to join forces, as in our country there are 735 water management organizations, while in Ireland and Poland there is one.”
This effort starts from Attica and the neighboring areas in Central Greece, Thessaloniki and Halkidiki, where more than 50% of the population lives, while the central bodies of the effort will be EYDAP and EYATH: “Each Municipality cannot make the necessary investments on its own, it does not have the financial capacity. While EYDAP and EYATH have the economy of scale and the know-how and can make them.”, he noted.
“Let me remind you that very many networks are outdated, with all that this entails for leaks and public health,” he said characteristically, emphasizing that today out of 100 drops of water in our country, in some areas 70 are lost, while in countries like Singapore and Israel, the same drop is used two and three times.
Regarding the price, Mr. Papastavrou emphasized that water in Greece is and will remain the cheapest in Europe, with the best quality. And he clarified: “Water is and will remain a public good. It belongs to all of us and especially to our children, and we must protect it.”
In the same context, the Minister pointed out that three funding cycles have been designed for municipalities for the implementation of projects against drought: “Twenty-five municipalities have come and we have signed targeted interventions, totaling more than 40 million euros for 33 projects. We continue, and this week we will go to the Peloponnese.”, he said characteristically.
Mr. Papastavrou also referred to the recent fire in Oraiokastro, responding to claims that it was set to install wind turbines. He particularly focused on the statement of Maria Karystianou, emphasizing that there are no wind turbines in Oraiokastro, nor production project certificates. “All this is a product of imagination. I think in this matter a great deal of seriousness is required. Especially when it is so far from reality.”, he said characteristically.
Finally, answering a question about the progress of hydrocarbon research, Mr. Papastavrou pointed out that the first exploratory drilling will take place in February 2027, in the northwestern Ionian, in the area of Asopos, where according to estimates by the consortium ExxonMobil, Energean, HelleniQ Energy there are about 270 billion cubic meters of hydrocarbons that may be commercially exploitable.
As he said, in case these estimates are confirmed, public revenues - according to the consortium - from this particular drilling alone will reach 10 billion euros.
The Minister of Environment and Energy also focused particularly on the issue of environmental protection, clarifying that there is no chance these drillings will threaten it:
“There is no room for compromise in environmental protection. We are for sustainable development. We say no to photovoltaics in forests, Natura forest areas. We say no to wind turbines on small islands. We say no to wind turbines above 1200 meters. We support in a balanced way RES, which strengthen our energy resilience. We protect the biodiversity of our Homeland and in this matter there are no discounts.”, he said characteristically.