“Greece does not allow any violation of sovereign rights,” said MP Serres and Secretary of International Relations and EU New Democracy, Tasos Hatzivasiliou, speaking to Real FM radio station on Monday afternoon.
Mr Hatzivasiliou pointed out that Ankara is activating “national -nationalist narratives” in order to stimulate public opinion inside. “The Turkish government is currently referring to 1922, as well as the battle of Mantzikert. The Turks remember such events to raise the collective morale, “he said.
Analyzing the reasons, the ND MP stressed: “Turkey is annoyed for two reasons. First, from the investigations that the Greek government plans to do south of Crete, with the competition being ongoing. Secondly, from Athens’ intention to implement the strategic project of the electrical interconnection of Greece, Cyprus and Israel. ” As he explained, it is a “work of peace and not a work of war”, which “is European and will continue on the basis of government planning”.
Mr Hadjivasiliou described the statement of Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan as “unnecessary and unnecessary” about Greece and the Minister of National Defense Nikos Dendia: “Greece is not intimidated. Fidan’s reference was inappropriate. We do not mix in the internal third countries, nor do we leave such hints. The foreign policy of our country is not heterogeneous. This is what the Turks know very well. “
Responding to Ankara’s objections, Tasos Hatzivasiliou recalled: “Greece has never changed its planning because it requested it a third country. If he thinks it’s time to do new research on the cable, he will do so. ” He added that “Greece is a pole of stability that respects international law and implements it in practice, as it has done with marine spatial planning and marine land and marine parks”.
The ND MP also referred to the expansion of territorial waters: “The government defends every part of Greek sovereignty without any deduction. The country maintains the innermost right to extend territorial waters to 12 nautical miles when it considers it nationally deliberate. “
Regarding the strategic importance of the electric interconnection cable, he emphasized: “For us, as for Europe, the cable is a priority. It is a European project, protected by international law, and can also be linked to the logic of IMEC. It is a work that benefits Cyprus, by removing it from energy isolation. ” He even called on the neighbors to understand that “these are peace infrastructure for the benefit of regional stability”.