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An entire region, namely the Eastern Mediterranean, has been on alert in recent months over the multifaceted project of the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnection, at a time when Turkey, despite not being a member state of the European Union, is engaging in saber-rattling and unlawful actions that undermine peace and security in the region.
Ankara, often with the tolerance of the international political community and, on many occasions, of Europe itself, continues to engage in unlawful actions against a country such as Cyprus, which has remained partially under occupation since 1974, following Turkey’s illegal invasion.
How many times, indeed, has Cyprus been adversely affected by unlawful Turkish actions and provocations in the decision-making process? How many times has Europe turned a blind eye to Turkish aggressiveness?
Turkey continues to claim that parts of the maritime area between Crete and Cyprus fall within its own continental shelf, relying on the unlawful Turkey–Libya Memorandum of Understanding and its expansionist doctrine of the “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan), while insisting that any activities or surveys in these areas require its authorisation. Moreover, there have been numerous occasions on which Turkey has openly threatened both Cyprus and Greece.
Why the project matters
The electricity interconnection is a landmark project for the wider Eastern Mediterranean region and must be strengthened, protected and supported by the entire European Union, without reservations or setbacks.
This particular electricity interconnection project between Cyprus and Greece is of critical importance. Indeed, it will also put the credibility of the European Union itself to the test, as the EU is called upon to protect two of its member states, Greece and Cyprus, against unlawful and unjustified actions.
The benefits of this electricity interconnection project are of vital importance. On the one hand, it will put an end to Cyprus’s energy isolation. Cyprus is the last EU member state to remain electrically isolated, without any interconnection to the European electricity grid. The project aims to connect Cyprus to Crete and, through Crete, to the mainland Greek and wider European electricity networks.
At the same time, it is expected to generate cost savings for consumers, as the interconnection has the potential to deliver annual savings on electricity bills for consumers in both Greece and Cyprus, by reducing the high cost of electricity generation.
Furthermore, it will strengthen energy security by ensuring a more stable electricity supply during periods of peak demand or in the event of failures at local power generation facilities.
The project also undoubtedly carries a significant geopolitical dimension, as it will enhance the role of the Eastern Mediterranean within the European energy landscape, with the prospect of connecting Israel in the future.
The European Union is therefore called upon to respond immediately and collectively to any attempts at intimidation and unlawful Turkish actions, providing its unequivocal support and ensuring the geopolitical protection of the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnection.
Above all, Europe must strongly condemn Turkish claims and the unlawful NAVTEX notices issued in the Eastern Mediterranean, which are aimed at obstructing the subsea surveys required for the installation of the cable.
In this regard, European protective measures must be adopted through official interventions, alongside specific legal and practical measures, in order to address external threats and ensure the uninterrupted construction of this infrastructure, despite any pressure exerted by Turkey.
To date, the European Union itself has demonstrated selective sensitivity, refraining from imposing sanctions on Turkey over its challenges to Cyprus’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Greece’s sovereign rights, while imposing stringent sanctions in other international crises. Turkey remains a destabilising actor in the Eastern Mediterranean and, through its aggressive tactics, seeks to shape developments to serve its own interests.
Let us not forget that the protection of critical energy infrastructure in the Eastern Mediterranean is a collective European responsibility and requires tangible solidarity with Cyprus and Greece.
A project of this magnitude truly puts Europe’s own resilience to the test in the face of unlawful actions intended to prevent two of its member states from exercising their sovereign rights.