Filenews 3 February 2025
Turkey sent a new message yesterday that it will closely monitor, in the presence of its warships, the surveys on the seabed in the area between Crete and Cyprus, for the needs of laying a cable in the context of the electricity interconnection.
As capital.gr, energypress.gr and newmoney.gr write today, yesterday two Italian ships carried out searches in the sea area north of Crete, which, according to the Greek side, does not fall within the areas for which Turkey sets arbitrary claims, on the basis of the "Turkish-Colombian memorandum".
According to the websites, a Navtex had been issued last Thursday by the Greek side for searches by the ships Ievoli Relume and NG Worker in areas north of Agios Nikolaos in the prefecture of Lasithi, but when they started work yesterday they realized that a corvette of the Turkish navy was in the area and monitoring the searches.
No incident was reported, but Greek navy ships also rushed to the area.
The new incident, journalists on the three websites note, reinforces concerns that Turkey will make a strong presence throughout the fundraising process for the electrical interconnection.
Especially when these will be extended to areas that fall under the so-called Turkish-Colombian memorandum (or Turkey's claims in the sea area off Pafos), without excluding its intervention to obstruct the works or to require permission from the Turkish authorities.
Yesterday's incident, capital.gr, energypress.gr and newmoney.gr write, confirms the assessment of the Greek and Cypriot authorities that the geopolitical risk and the Turkish stance remain the biggest and most serious problem for the promotion and implementation of the electricity interconnection between Crete and Cyprus.
According to a report by Dnews, the Turkish corvette even tried to interfere with the cable-laying operations, sending a message "Stop the searches, they are not within your area."
Therefore, a frigate of the Greek Navy as well as a ship of the Coast Guard sailed to the area, accompanying the research vessels that carry out the works for the protection of the submarine cable.
