The Government is proceeding with gradual structural interventions in the energy sector, to reduce the cost of electricity and to ensure sufficiency, said the President of the Republic, Nikos Christodoulides.
From the podium of the General Assembly of OEB, he said that energy is possibly one of the biggest challenges his government has to face.
"The functioning of the competitive electricity market, the promotion of renewable energy sources and storage systems, as well as the implementation of strategic interconnection projects, will contribute to the gradual creation of a more efficient, diversified and resilient energy system," he added.
He said that, despite the chronic distortions that require time to be corrected, efforts on energy issues will be accelerated.
In fact, he noted that the issue of energy costs was at the center of the informal European Council.
"They are the immediate solutions and that is why the President of the Commission has presented a package of immediate solutions and beyond that it is to find a comprehensive solution that can be achieved through the energy union of Europe. An energy union that will also strengthen our competitiveness," he added.
According to President Christodoulides, due to the presidency of the European Council, specific legislation is being promoted that will lead to the energy union.
"Because this is our long-term goal, this is what we have agreed at level 27, to achieve the energy union, including of course the Republic of Cyprus," he stressed.
In response to a journalist's remark that the President of the European Commission said that the only way for the Union to become energy resilient and self-sufficient is to get rid of fossil fuels, and asked if this does not leave the Republic of Cyprus out of plans for the exploitation of its own natural gas, having regard to the position of the Cypriot Government on the transport of Cypriot natural gas to Europe, The President of the Republic said that "I have told you many times since I was Minister of Foreign Affairs, that natural gas is a bridge solution to achieve the final goal. But, yes, gas is used by many Member States, it is not a permanent solution. It is a bridge to achieve this goal mentioned by the President of the Commission."
