Greece will sign four hydrocarbon exploration agreements with US energy giant Chevron on Monday, sealing a deal aimed at unlocking vast offshore gas potential south of Crete and the Peloponnese.
The agreements cover the maritime concessions “South Peloponnese,” “A2,” “South Crete I” and “South Crete II.” The deal will then move to Parliament for ratification, and geophysical surveys are scheduled to begin in the second half of 2026.
Greece plans to open its waters to gas exploration for the first time in more than four decades with American assistance. The country signed a similar agreement with ExxonMobil last November and aims to become the first EU member actively participating in the US plan to route American LNG to Europe via the Vertical Corridor gas pipelines.
While results of recent auctions were disappointing, Greece and the US are undertaking joint initiatives to ensure the success of the February auction for transporting natural gas from Greece to Ukraine in March, seen as a key test for the commercial viability of the project.
Ergani II
The Labor Ministry will launch its new Ergani II information system on Monday, aiming to become the digital backbone of the country’s labor market. The upgraded system will allow practical implementation of regulations introduced under recent labor laws, which have been on hold until Ergani II is fully operational.
Foreign Ministry
Greece’s Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis will brief the Parliament’s Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee on Monday about the recent High-Level Cooperation Council in Ankara. He is expected to address Greece’s plans to participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza, the country’s first international mission since its involvement in ISAF operations in Afghanistan, as Kathimerini reported on Sunday.
UAE and India
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis will visit Abu Dhabi on Tuesday, followed by a two-day trip to India. He is scheduled to meet with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, as Greece actively seeks to establish new business ventures and strategic partnerships with India.
Board of Peace
Cyprus will participate as an observer in the upcoming US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace meeting on Gaza in Washington on Thursday. “The participation of our country forms part of the consistent and active regional role it has undertaken since the very outset of the crisis,” government spokesman Konstantinos Letymbiotis posted on X, adding that the level of representation “will be determined in consultation with the organizers.”
Hungary and Bulgaria are the only European Union member states that have accepted Trump’s invitation.
Taxi strike
The Greater Athens region will be without taxi services for three days, from Tuesday to Thursday, as taxi drivers stage a new strike. Taxi drivers from across Greece will join the strike on Wednesday and Thursday.
The Attica taxi drivers’ union (SATA) is protesting the electric transition timelines and competition from other ride-hailing services, while also seeking tax breaks and permission for taxis carrying clients to use public transport lanes in the heavily congested streets of Athens. SATA has warned that once the relevant bill is submitted, they will call for an indefinite strike.