53116 - Approval of the Strategic Study in regards to the Environmental Impact of hydrocarbon exploration South of Crete by the Ministry of Environment

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Athina Kehagias

We passed through yet another stage in the field of energean Greece with the approval of the Strategic Study in regards to the Environmental Impact by the Ministry of Environment. We continue the task which began with the Law re: Hydrocarbons 2289/1995, the amendment 4001/2011, the licensing round regarding the marine regions West of Crete and Southwest of Crete, the contract with the Exxon Mobil, Total, Hellenic Petroleum consortium, its ratification in the Hellenic Parliament, the intergovernmental agreement in regards to the East Med pipeline, and the delimitation of the EEZ of Greece and Italy. The dynamics of the EEZ are in actual fact proven in an even more intense manner now, because the strategic study concerns a new marine region South of Crete, which is constituted by 33,933 km², south of Lassithi, and which is in fact the field covered by marine blocks 15 and 20 of the first licensing round by Greece. Because now we are preparing to be active in this region which touches upon the illegal demarcation done by Turkey with the Libyan government, and which was invalidated by the Libyan Parliament. Consequently, we are placing an Aozian shield which stops the Turkish claims, because although they are irrational, we ought to overthrow them and oppose them in the most rational and strategic manner. This is what strategic diplomacy is all about.