The government must at long last elaborate a comprehensive strategy and policy on the exploitation of natural gas
Statement by Stefanos Stefanou, AKEL C.C. Spokesperson
AKEL C.C. Press Office, 7th March 2017, Nicosia
We consider as positive the development with regards the completion of the negotiations for the third licensing round, as well as the presence of big companies in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of the Republic of Cyprus.
Let’s hope that the relevant Minister’s statements about an aggressive (that is intensive) drilling programs that the government will request from these companies will become a reality and that they too won’t be part of the pre-election campaign that the government and ruling forces have started.
We say this because, although the Anastasiadis – DISY government inherited an aggressive drilling program by the TOTAL, EMI and KOGAS companies in the second licensing round, all it has subsequently done is to give continuous extensions in the fulfillment of their contractual obligations, as well as the extensions given to the Aphrodite companies that carried out the first successful drilling since 2011. As a result, there hasn’t been been any drilling whatsoever during the period of the Anastasiades government and today Cyprus is lagging behind in the field of research and exploitation of hydrocarbons, which is now being referred to after 2023.
We hope that after five years of inactivity and adventurist actions the Anastasiades-DISY government will have understand that the hydrocarbons aren’t exploited and utilized by issuing statements, making declarations and PR stunts. We hope that the third licensing round marks the beginning so that the government at long last elaborates a comprehensive strategy and policy on the issues of the utilization of natural gas. This must finally be combined with an overall strategic plan for the development of ports by supporting companies which assist in turning Cyprus not only into a regional energy hub, but also into a regional centre for providing services.
