The European Public Prosecutor’s Office (EPPO) confirmed on Thursday that it was investigating the Great Sea Interconnector, a project linking the electricity grids of Greece, Cyprus, and Israel via an underwater cable across the eastern Mediterranean Sea.
The confirmation follows revelations made by top government officials from the Republic of Cyprus, including President Nikos Christodoulides.
Greece’s national branch of the European Public Prosecutor’s Office has not launched an investigation into the matter so far, with sources saying they are “closely monitoring developments” but without clarifying whether they intend to intervene.
Earlier, Reuters reported that European prosecutors were examining potential criminal violations linked to the €1.9 billion project, citing both the president of Cyprus and the prosecutor’s office.
Commission comments on the cable project
“The Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) remains of the highest political and strategic importance for the European Commission, and we are doing everything within our means to ensure it is completed,” said Anna-Kaisa Itkonen, the Commission’s energy spokesperson in Brussels.
Speaking at a regular press briefing, she underlined the project’s significance, noting that it is “absolutely critical to ending Cyprus’s energy isolation” and that once operational, it will allow greater integration of renewable energy sources into the grid, ultimately lowering energy prices for businesses and consumers in the region.
On financing, she stressed that the project has passed all the necessary approval stages and said the Commission remains in continuous contact with stakeholders to secure its implementation.
Source: tovima.com
