Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou discussed developments surrounding the Greece-Cyprus-Europe electricity interconnector, Ankara’s stance, Greece’s international energy diplomacy, energy costs, the regulatory framework for data centres and the programme for Building Coefficient Reception Zones (ZYS) in an interview today with journalist Pavlos Tsimas on MegaNews 104.6 FM.
Speaking about the importance of the Greece-Cyprus-Europe interconnector, one of the most significant projects of common European interest, which has received more than €650 million in funding from the EU, Mr Papastavrou underlined its strategic value in ending Cyprus’s energy isolation and strengthening European energy integration.
On Turkey’s stance, the Environment and Energy Minister drew a clear distinction, stressing, among other things, that “Turkey repeatedly asked for permission for the project to go ahead, but this did not happen”.
Energy diplomacy
He continued: “The only country to grant permission by issuing a NAVTEX is Greece. Any notification by France, if one was made, does not constitute—and cannot be considered, directly or indirectly—a request for permission”.
Mr Papastavrou announced that the transatlantic energy summit, P-TEC, will be held in Warsaw, Poland, on Tuesday 17 and Wednesday 18 November. Energy ministers from the countries of the Vertical Corridor will attend, alongside US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, with whom Mr Papastavrou will hold a bilateral meeting.
“The presence of the US Energy Secretary confirms the US’ bipartisan and longstanding interest in stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and accelerating Central Europe’s independence from Russian natural gas, while also highlighting Greece’s pivotal role”.
In response to questions about the proposal for Building Coefficient Reception Zones (ZYS), the Minister clarified that “this is an urban-planning method. In some municipalities, there is a listed building whose full building coefficient cannot be used because of the restrictions on the listed property. Or a municipality has decided, in its local plan, to build a park, a playground or a road, but does not have the money to expropriate the plot needed for the playground”.
“Building Coefficient Reception Zones mean that, instead of giving you money—this is what happens now, and many areas earmarked for public use are being reclaimed because the compensation cannot be paid—they say, Mr Tsimas, I have to take your plot, which you could build on, to make the playground. I don’t have the money to give you, but I can give you the equivalent in another part of the municipality, so that I can also create the public space”.
“This is part of the Doxiadis programme, one component of the Recovery Fund, and an objective assessment by the planners, based on the criteria of the Council of State. I don’t want anyone to be concerned. It is at a very early stage and is clearly being done for local communities. If, during the public consultation, local communities do not want to use what the method proposes, they can say: I would rather have the money to build the playground, or not give Tsimas building rights in another area. They will be heard. Nothing is binding, and nothing should cause alarm at this stage”.
Mr Papastavrou also sounded the alarm over the effects of high energy costs on the cohesion of member states and the European economy, stressing that “higher energy costs threaten the social and political legitimacy of the European project. Whatever each country does on its own is not enough. Immediate European solutions and support mechanisms are needed, otherwise European citizens will feel that Brussels is not taking the needs of every household into account”.
Finally, speaking about the Environment and Energy Ministry’s bill on the development of data centres, Mr Papastavrou said Greece was acting pre-emptively and putting a strict regulatory framework in place in good time. He stressed that “having seen the problems caused by unregulated development in other countries, such as Ireland and the US, we are acting in advance to impose strict environmental and energy requirements. There will be no compromise on environmental protection or the stability of our energy system”.