The Minister of Energy and Environment, Theodoros Skylakakis, speaking on SKAI radio, referred to the issue of the American company Chevron, which has expressed interest in operating in Greece, specifically from the western part of the Peloponnese to the south of Crete, to explore for hydrocarbons.

Responding to statements by PASOK MEP Yannis Maniatis about the government’s “magnificent stunt”, the minister said it was inaccurate that Chevron’s request had been made a year ago.

Regarding the drilling schedule, Skylakakis noted that the tender will be completed by the end of the year and the company will decide the speed at which the exploration will proceed. The ministerial decision will be ready within the week.

“It is an important decision to move forward. The government has never stopped, but instead has promoted the rational extraction of hydrocarbons, precisely because it is of the view that the green transition must be cost-effective,” he said, clarifying: “Chevron is seeking the right to explore and drill. When there is a lot of drilling you have a better chance of finding the deposit. The 11,000 square kilometers may be the ‘starter’ but it is big and is a 25% increase in terms of area. FYI, Greece has more than fulfilled its green growth obligations in terms of reducing carbon dioxide. We are sticking to what we had planned from the beginning while adapting to the new geopolitical landscape.”

Finally, he explained that should there be any hydrocarbon discoveries from the drilling, the results are not published as they are a “trade secret” of the company concerned. “The government’s job is simply to permit to start drilling in each area.”