reece is aiming to launch its first exploratory offshore drilling operation in 50 years during the first quarter of 2027, Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said in an interview with the Greek public broadcaster ERT on Monday, May 18.
Papastavrou described Greece as playing an increasingly prominent role in the global energy landscape and said the government was accelerating efforts to move forward with hydrocarbon exploration. He noted that discussions with the chief executive of HelleniQ Energy, suggested drilling activity could even begin earlier than expected. According to the minister, the government was carrying out all necessary regulatory procedures to allow the consortium involved in the project to proceed.
He said the consortium estimated that the Block 2 offshore concession could contain up to 270 billion cubic meters of natural gas, potentially generating around 10 billion euros in revenues for the Greek state and taxpayers. If commercially viable, he argued, the discovery could unlock substantial national wealth, strengthening the country’s economic position.
Commenting on a recent interview he gave to Breitbart News that was later shared on social media by U.S. President Donald Trump, Papastavrou said the key message was that Greece’s energy strategy and what he described as Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ “energy realism” had received recognition at the highest political level in Washington.
He said the Greek government supported the transition to clean energy, but not “at any cost,” stressing that social cohesion and economic competitiveness also had to be taken into account. Mitsotakis, he argued, had rejected the notion that countries must choose between renewable energy and hydrocarbons, instead advocating for a dual-track approach embracing both.
Papastavrou further linked energy policy to geopolitical influence, arguing that countries capable of controlling their own energy resources were ultimately better positioned to shape their own future rather than depend on the decisions of others.
Addressing Greek-American relations, the minister dismissed criticism that the Mitsotakis government lacked strong ties with Washington. He pointed to Trump’s public praise for Greece and the prime minister, posted shortly after the U.S. president’s return from China, as evidence of close bilateral relations.
Asked about renewed Turkish challenges in the region, Papastavrou said Greece’s actions were being carried out with confidence and institutional legitimacy, always within the framework of international law, the law of the sea, and its obligations as a member of the European Union. He added that unilateral actions, regardless of their nature, do not produce legal consequences under maritime law.
Papastavrou also welcomed the new tourism spatial planning framework, describing tourism as the backbone of the Greek economy after years without clear development guidelines. He highlighted a new rule banning construction within 25 meters of the coastline, saying the measure would help protect public access to Greece’s shores for future generations.
