“Europe has dramatically delayed on energy issues”, Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs, Miltiadis Varvitsiotis, stated in an interview today with Real FM 97.8 and journalists Nikos Hatzinikolaou and Antonis Dellatolas.
In particular, the Alternate Minister described yesterday’s announcements by the President of the European Commission as “very few in relation to the size of the problem” and “very late” and reminded that Greece has already submitted specific proposals since the beginning of the year, part of which the Commission is now starting to discuss. Mr. Varvitsiotis also noted that Greece has repeatedly raised the issue of energy both at the EU-Med Summit and at the European Council, He also mentioned the divergence of views within the EU due to the different policy mixes on energy. In particular, he explained that some countries are favoring the development of alternative energy sources and price changing, while others prefer to maintain the status quo so as to avoid being forced to pay higher prices. “I think the latter are retreating under the weight of social and political developments,” he estimated.
Regarding Greek-Turkish relations, the Alternate Minister pointed out that they are part of the pre-election climate that is being cultivated in Turkey and commented that this is not conducive to normal relations between the two countries.