South Cyprus Government, through the Director of the Press Office, Viktoras Papadopoulos, denies the publication of the Greek newspaper according to which a scenario of changing the route of the EastMed pipeline and bypassing the Cypriot EEZ is being discussed.
Asked to comment on the article, which is reproduced by other media, Mr. Papadopoulos said that “such a thing does not apply.”
“EastMed’s schedule or plans have not changed,” he said.
Moreover, said the Director of the Press Office of Anastasiadis, “it is important and we must remember that the studies have been funded by the EU”, adding that “the countries in the region involved and the Republic of Cyprus do all those actions and pay all those efforts so that when the time comes, the choices exist before the companies that will undertake the project to decide “.
So, he pointed out, “there is no such issue.”
Asked if the article is denied by South Cyprus, Mr. Papadopoulos answered in the affirmative.
The Greek newspaper in an article on Monday, citing exclusive information, referred to a scenario of “changing the route of the much-publicized EastMed gas pipeline so that it starts from the giant deposit” Leviathan “in Israel and then, instead of going to Cyprus is heading to Egypt “. From there, he added, “the pipeline will continue on land – and no longer submarine in the abyssal depths of the Eastern Mediterranean – to the Egypt-Libya border and then ascend to Crete through the Greek-Egyptian EEZ.” According to the publication, this scenario was proposed to the Prime Minister of Greece Kyriakos Mitsotakis by the President of Egypt Abdel Fattah Al Sisi and has been the subject of discussions between the leaders of the countries involved.