“Greece at the forefront and to protect the biodiversity of the Greek seas”
Meeting with the European Commissioner of Fisheries and Ocean, Costas Kadi, at the Maximos Mansion was the Prime Minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis. “Two days ago, May 28, we celebrated the 46th anniversary of the signing of our country’s accession treaty to the then European Economic Communities, so our common European future is not only a reference point but also a guarantee of security and prosperity,” he said, welcoming the Cypriot Commissioner.
“I am very pleased that we are given the opportunity to discuss the extremely interesting and critical portfolio you have taken over and I think this meeting is taking place at an interesting time as we will find ourselves in more than a week in Nice at a very important international conference and the Third EU conference is the third. Greece is one of the first countries to ratify the UN Convention on Biodiversity in the seas relatively recently and we will also submit it to the UN ratification bodies before the Nice Conference. “
‘We are fully harmonized with the marine spatial planning“, Said the prime minister. He added that: “Greece wants to be at the forefront and to protect the biodiversity of the Greek seas by creating new protected areas, with the restriction of fishing that damages the environment of the protected areas.”
He referred to the effort to reduce plastics in our seas. We are two countries that are surrounded by the sea and see our marine ecosystem not only as a legacy of our identity but as a protection obligation for future generations.
European Commissioner: Satisfaction for a series of initiatives that has taken Greece
“I fully recognize the importance of my own portfolio responsibilities for Greece, we all know that the maritime element is an integral part of the country’s identity and the importance of the sea for the country’s sustainable development,” the Cypriot Commissioner stressed.
He added: “I would like to emphasize that you can rely on the aid that can provide a European Commission so that Greece can implement all these policies that are intertwined with sustainable development. To express my satisfaction with a series of initiatives that have taken Greece intertwined with the responsibilities of my own and my portfolio to welcome the ratification of the contract for the maintenance of biodiversity in marine areas. An extremely important agreement and express my satisfaction with the fact that Greece was among the first countries to ratify the contract. To congratulate you on the initiatives you have taken for areas of maritime protection, these areas may also be a role model for other European countries.
He also expressed “satisfaction for the step that Greece has taken in relation to maritime spatial planning that leads to harmonization with the relevant directive that fully respects the sovereign rights of the Member States and their jurisdiction over marine waters as derived from international law and in particular.
We have a very important initiative in front of us as you have mentioned, we are in the final stages of shaping the Oceans Pact, which will be announced by President Ursula von der Laien at the UN Summit for the Oceans in Nice and will be a landlord for the oceans. Our marine ecosystems and on the other hand to take the oceans, to make the most of the huge potential they can offer in the context of maritime development.