Former prime minister Antonis Samaras raises concerns about the hydrocarbon exploration and extraction contract with the Chevron consortium in the offshore blocks of Crete, even speaking of terms that “imply the potential ceding of sovereign rights.”

In his statement, Mr. Samaras argues that developments in national issues “vindicate” him. “As a former prime minister, I am not entitled to remain silent about the country,” he says, calling on the government to provide immediate answers.

Samaras’ Criticism

The former prime minister argues that the contract between the Greek State and the Chevron consortium, which received approval from the Court of Audit, includes references to “withdrawal of the company from an area that might not constitute part of the Greek continental shelf or EEZ,” “areas where the Hellenic Republic will not possess sovereign rights,” “loss of a delimited area,” and “relinquishment, even if an exploitation area has been designated.”

“What kind of contract is this? Are we legislating for a possible withdrawal from our blocks? Is Greece discussing its sovereign rights? With whom? Since when?” he states.

On the surveys in Kasos

Mr. Samaras also refers to recent statements about Kasos, saying that Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis stated that “the research program was fully completed and there was absolutely no retreat.” On the contrary, the Cypriot government spokesperson said that Turkey obstructed the surveys, resulting in them not being completed.

“So I ask plainly: Is Cyprus lying?” he notes, concluding: “This is not what you call ‘calm waters.’”

The full statement of Antonis Samaras

For some time now, I have expressed my concerns about our national issues. Unfortunately, developments vindicate my positions.

As a former prime minister, I am not entitled to remain silent about the country.
That is why I bring to the attention of the Greek people two important issues and demand immediate answers from the government.

First, as was revealed, in the contract between Greece and the Chevron consortium for exploration and drilling in the offshore blocks of Crete, terms were added at the last minute that indirectly but clearly imply the potential ceding of our sovereign rights. How do these contract terms align with the government’s celebrations about an agreement that supposedly represents a vote of confidence in Greek positions?

Specifically, the contract approved by the Court of Audit provides, among other things, for “withdrawal of the company from an area that might not constitute part of the Greek continental shelf or EEZ,” “areas where the Hellenic Republic will not possess sovereign rights,” “loss of a delimited area,” and “relinquishment, even if an exploitation area has been designated.”

What kind of contract is this? Are we legislating for possible withdrawal from our blocks? Is Greece discussing its sovereign rights? With whom? Since when?

Second, the Cypriot government spokesperson stated last week outright that in Kasos there was obstruction of the surveys by Turkey, and that because of Turkey the surveys were NOT completed. Foreign Minister Gerapetritis has explicitly stated that “the research program was fully completed and there was absolutely no retreat.”
So I ask plainly: Is Cyprus lying?

This is not what is meant by “calm waters”…

The response of government officials to Samaras’ statement:

Regarding the usual out-of-touch remarks, we note the following:

Concerning the contract with Chevron, anyone knows that sovereign rights are not lost through agreements with private companies. What applies is that, as in every contract of this type, there must be the necessary provision for legal safeguard clauses in favor of the State so that compensation issues do not arise in the event of future delimitations decided by the Greek State. Moreover, as is known, preliminary discussions by technical committees have begun on the delimitation of the continental shelf and EEZ between Greece and Libya, while there is also the partial delimitation between Greece and Egypt.

Regarding the survey activity of the vessel Ievoli Relume for the Crete–Cyprus electrical interconnection project, we refer to the announcement of July 24, 2024, by the project implementer ADMIE itself, which obviously knows better than anyone the progress of the project, according to which the vessel completed its work in international waters between Kasos and Karpathos, in accordance with its schedule.