At the same time, he reiterated that Greece’s strategic choices in the energy sector are aligned with those of the United States in the field of liquefied natural gas.
The Minister of Shipping, speaking to “Real News,” stressed that “the added value created by investments in the wider area of a port, the supporting professions that are developed, meaning the ecosystem that is created – construction, administrative, technological – come to complement the all-powerful Greek ocean-going shipping.”
As he noted, “the government’s agreement with ONEX concerns the Elefsina Shipyards. It is very important, because through a legislative provision it gives them the possibility for other uses (storage, port-related, energy). Regarding the port of Elefsina, and other port infrastructures of the country, during my recent trip to the USA, with the approval of the Prime Minister, I had detailed discussions with high-ranking officials of the American government,” while he clarified once again that “Greece operates in its international relations with clear and stable rules, with respect for European and international law. This means that the agreements our country concludes are upheld by all sides and do not change based on rumors or circumstantial tensions. The country moves forward institutionally and with respect for what has been agreed upon.”
“The USA extracts shale gas and seeks to export it to Europe and the Greek-owned fleet constitutes about 21% of the global commercial fleet, holding a significant share of LNG carrier ships,” Mr. Kikilias also said.
“This combination of production, shipping power, and infrastructure overall upgrades the role of our country on the energy map. At the same time, Greece is actively participating in the redesign of its energy landscape, through hydrocarbon research in areas such as Crete and the Ionian Sea, while there is also the prospect of new drillings in the Aegean,” he emphasized, and added: “The goal of our government with these agreements is to invest in our own energy sources beyond Renewable Energy Sources and to limit the energy cost. Because, let’s not fool ourselves, one of the most important, or rather the most important, cause of the increase in the cost of living for the Greek family is the energy crisis.”
Referring to the bill for the security of ports and ships, the minister emphasized that “it was submitted to Parliament on Thursday and will be voted on next week” and that “it creates a strong state control arm, which will deal with all security issues in ports, both at a preventive and a repressive level. The control of compliance with legality in ports is critical for coastal shipping, cruise tourism, and ocean-going shipping. Incidents have been heard from time to time that show more effective supervision is required. We must act proactively and not run after problems.”
Finally, when asked about the “recent polling stagnation of New Democracy,” and also “with which parties cooperation could exist in the event of not achieving a governing majority,” Mr. Kikilias made it clear once again that “New Democracy has deep roots in the middle class and the popular strata and it is on these that it has been politically based from 1974 until today. We may be a broad-church party, but we are neither a party of the elites nor a party of big interests, with which we have clashed when necessary as a government and with every Prime Minister also since 1974, as you remember. So we will be judged at the end of the four-year term. We must continue to reduce taxes, increase wages and pensions, and give real opportunities to the young. We will be judged on these when the time of elections comes.”
