Papastavrou: Greece, in a volatile geopolitical environment, secures its sovereign rights in practice

Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou on Tuesday underlined Greece’s determination to exercise its sovereign rights as regards the search for hydrocarbons, speaking to Open TV on Tuesday.
Responding to a question regarding Libya’s recent diplomatic note, which disputes the median line with Greece, the minister emphasised that this does not affect the ongoing tenders in Greece for offshore hydrocarbon exploration in any way. As he stated, "such diplomatic notes are null and void, and we reject them as they stem from baseless agreements." He also pointed out a significant contradiction in Libya’s own tender, noting that while General Haftar’s administration may dispute Greek maritime blocks, even today, on the official website of Libya’s National Oil Corporation, the ongoing international hydrocarbon tender refers to blocks that respect the median line with Greece.
"In a volatile geopolitical environment, Greece consistently and with national responsibility secures its sovereign rights in practice - not just on paper," stressed Papastavrou, also highlighting that: "Our country, as a member of the European Union, NATO, and a non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, with strong growth rates, deterrent capabilities, and a reform-oriented government such as that of Kyriakos Mitsotakis, offers significant opportunities and investment security." He also underlined the importance of the upcoming visit to Greece by U.S. Secretary of Energy Chris Wright, scheduled for November 6-7, noting that it further reinforces these dynamics.
Asked about the migration flows from Libya, Papastavrou stated: "The most important thing is to make it clear that yes, our country is a state governed by the rule of law. Of course, it adheres to international law and international norms. But being a state of law does not mean it has no obligation to protect national security, public order, and social cohesion."
He also said that "migration hasn’t gone away - and it won’t. That’s the reality. Why? Let’s be honest: because it’s a business. There are smuggling networks exploiting vulnerable souls and making millions in profits. Europe, to be honest, has taken an introspective stance on this issue. The European Commission attempted an approach, but it failed. Now the authorities in eastern Libya - Mr. Haftar and his team - must choose whether they want to align with Europe and international legality or move further away. That is their decision to make."

Μore on subscriber's page.
ANA-MPA SA. Intellectual rights and copyright are the sole property of the ANA-MPA and are allocated to the Agency's subscribers for specific uses only.
NEWS ROOM
MORE NEWS