Cyprus-Greece Tensions Flare Over Great Sea Interconnector

President Christodoulides sought to chill governmental tensions, stating that those “who stake connected a rupture of relations” betwixt Athens and Nicosia would beryllium disappointed. Credit: Greek Ministry of Energy and Environment

An escalating quality implicit the multi-billion-euro Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) has seen a diplomatic speech betwixt Cyprus and Greece, adjacent arsenic Cypriot President Nikos Christodoulides insisted that bilateral ties stay “stronger than ever.”

The tensions erupted pursuing a study that Greece’s Independent Power Transmission Operator (ADMIE), the project’s implementing body, filed a ceremonial objection with the Cypriot regulator (RAEK).

The objection reportedly challenged a determination to o.k. an disbursal betterment of €82 cardinal (including a €25 cardinal outgo for 2025), with ADMIE allegedly seeking to retrieve a higher full of €251 cardinal successful costs incurred to date.

President Christodoulides sharply criticized the move, informing that the Cypriot authorities “will not beryllium blackmailed” by immoderate caput of ADMIE.

However, speaking aboriginal connected Monday, helium sought to chill governmental tensions, stating that those “who stake connected a rupture of relations” betwixt Athens and Nicosia would beryllium disappointed, declining further remark connected his gathering with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

Greek Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou publically stated the GSI project would lone determination guardant erstwhile “concerns successful Nicosia implicit its viability” are formally addressed, noting that the task is “stuck successful a changeless questioning” by the Cypriot side.

Papastavrou stressed that Greece “does not prosecute successful blackmail” and operates done organization channels, portion ADMIE itself issued a connection denying the much inflammatory claims successful the Cypriot press. Meanwhile, PM Mitsotakis called an exigency gathering with vigor officials and ADMIE representatives to sermon the crisis.

Related: Great Sea Interconnector Causes Rift Between Greece and Cyprus