The Abeille Marengo appears to be in the final stages of preparing to leave the port of Heraklion.
The French vessel, which will survey the route for the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnector cable, is being prepared and is expected to set sail as early as today.
Mitsotakis: A smooth journey
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said at a Proto Thema conference that laying the cable and completing the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnector “will be a smooth journey to completion”.
He said: “This is not a purely Greek-Cypriot project; it is a European project with a strong French presence. Only Greece and Cyprus have granted permission for this vessel to sail and conduct its research. It would be wrong for some to confuse a general briefing on this project, which may be sent to third countries — Turkey, Egypt — with the licensing process itself, which, I repeat once again, is the exclusive responsibility of the Greek and Cypriot authorities”.
The prime minister stressed that “what the French side has sent does not create any problems for the Greek government. The information the French side has given Turkey in any form does not create any legal precedent. Nor can it in any way be construed as an application for a permit. Accordingly, my answer is clear: the Greek government has no problem with the information the French side provided to the Turkish authorities”.
Referring to the opposition, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “I sometimes feel that there are quite a few people in our country, including some opposition parties, who either want this project not to go ahead or want a crisis in which Greece ultimately loses.
Neither will happen. But I wonder why, on certain matters of national interest, there cannot be at least a minimum of common ground. I want to remind you that opposition parties are briefed by the foreign minister in closed-door sessions in Parliament”.
The prime minister said “I understand that all this is part of the political debate, but we are talking about straightforward issues. And those criticising us now are the same people who thought we could not extend our territorial waters with Italy, and who said Greece would not dare establish marine parks or introduce spatial planning. But we did”.
On the 2024 survey near Kasos, Kyriakos Mitsotakis stressed that “it took place within our country’s territorial waters. Greece is ready for any eventuality at any time. I do not expect tensions to escalate over this issue, but I want to remind you that we have dealt with difficult cases in the past.
Remember the summer of 2020. That is why the government is investing in the Armed Forces, which are stronger than ever, because they enable us to safeguard our sovereignty... We are destined to be neighbours with Turkey; that will never change. Despite our disagreements, we have open lines of communication. We cannot make any concessions, while moving ahead with important projects and highlighting Greece’s role as a regional hub connecting Europe with the Middle East”.
On the bill on the Blue Homeland, he said Greece was ready to face any eventuality. “It would be a mistake for Turkey to go ahead; it would put a heavy strain on Greek-Turkish relations at a time of upheaval around the world. And if it happens, Greece will respond forcefully”, he said, adding that he did not rule out a unilateral declaration extending to 12 nautical miles.
On the US elections, Kyriakos Mitsotakis said: “Greece has strategic relations with the United States, which have strong roots and a solid foundation in both parties. Support for the US has always been bipartisan. I have personally worked with Donald Trump, Joe Biden and now Trump again; I have spoken in Congress after being invited by both sides. I would also like to express my satisfaction that six Greek Americans were elected to Congress, including Chris Pappas”.
On the US ambassador to Athens, he also said: “We do not choose who comes to Greece. We will work with whoever the US president chooses… Ms Kimberly Guilfoyle’s resignation is not a positive development, but it is not something that should cause upheaval”.