For the extremely important developments of the last three weeks in the field of energy, the importance of acceptance by the Ministry of Environment and Energy Chevron’s interest in exploiting Greece’s underwater wealthas well as the ministry’s initiatives to reduce energy costs and the restoration of the credibility of urban planning against the citizen, the Minister of Environment and Energy, Mr. Stavros Papastavrou, spoke in an interview with the newspaper “Parapolitika”.
In the context of the interview, the Minister of the Environment and Energy also stood the importance of the speech of Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis in Parliament, where he spoke about “our patriotic path of responsibility”, giving the definition of “patriotism” today.
“Patriotism is what makes Greece stronger in practice. It is the economic progress and the pro -investment climate, which lead Greece to the highest growth rate in the EU. And they create jobs, reaching unemployment in a low record of seventeen years. It is the preparation of a strategy for the rights of people with disabilities, which aims to ensure equality and accessibility for all. ” And he concluded: “Patriotism in words is over. Only actions and not words serve the homeland. “
Chevron confirms her interest in searches on marine plots in Crete
Plots southern Crete 1 and 2
Passing on to energy issues, Mr Stavros Papastavrou stressed that the completion of discussions with Chevron and the acceptance of interest in maritime plots southern Crete 1 and 2 is a vote of confidence in Greece, “but also a confirmation that we are walking on its way”. At the same time, he referred to the important contacts he had immediately after taking up his duties, both within the EU Ministers of Energy Council and the bilateral talks he had with US interior ministers, Doug Burgum and Israeli Regional Cooperation, David Amsalem.
“There is a strong prospect to strengthen our country in the field of energy, and, by extension, geopolitical. On the one hand utilizing the country’s underwater wealth. On the other hand, investing in infrastructure and networks, “he said, citing the electrical interconnection of Crete and the Cyclades, the launch of the Greece-Cyprus interconnection, as well as the bilateral energy agreement signed last December with Israel. “In an unprecedented unstable international environment, we strive for our country to remain a power of stability and credibility, confidently enhancing its geopolitical footprint,” he said.
Further focusing on the importance of accepting Chevron’s interest by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, Mr. St. Papastavrou added that this acceptance means that Chevron and, by extension, the US government recognize national sovereignty in practice, in accordance with international law. “Chevron’s involvement in exploiting our underwater wealth brings Greece and US even closer,” he said.
Cheap energy
However, the Minister of Energy and the Environment made a special mention in the efforts of the Ministry and the Government to ensure abundant and cheap energy to all households, especially in the most vulnerable, and in all businesses, which he said is a prerequisite for the quality of life of citizens, as well as the competitiveness of the European industry.
An important parameter of the whole effort, however, is, as he said, the understanding that the power is directly proportional to Europe’s policies, the fluctuations of wholesale, as well as the international developments in the energy market. “The decline of the wholesale price of March, for example, is also reflected in the prices that Greek citizens will see in April electricity bills, but the price of May has not yet been determined. We all have to become familiar with the way the final price calculates per month and the fact that exogenous factors affect prices, “he said, while also stressing the cost -reduction policies implemented by the Ministry of Environment and Energy, such as fighting. “In particular, we stand next to the most vulnerable households and businesses, as we still have high energy poverty rates and want to exhaust policy measures to help our fellow citizens who find it difficult to meet their energy needs,” he said.
Continuing, Mr. St. Papastavrou has particularly been in the transparency problems that have been observed in urban planning in the country, but also in the pending Council of State on the provisions of the new building regulation deemed unconstitutional. As the Minister pointed out, the 2010 law, which transferred the urban planning to the municipalities, did not bring the seeking results. Given the stigma of continuity, he pointed out that the Ministry of Environment and Energy, along with the relevant ministries, are planning initiatives that will enhance transparency and restore the credibility of urban planning towards the citizen. Regarding the decision of the CoE and the criteria that considered unconstitutionally, Mr. St. Papastavrou stressed that the ministry is elaborating on the relevant provisions “which will realize in a realistic way.