Referring to “unwarranted worriers” who “live with a defeatist persecution mania,” Mitsotakis emphasized: “Greece exercises its sovereign rights in practice, not just in words, and is becoming the main entry and distribution hub for natural gas to all countries in Central and Eastern Europe.”
“Some ‘professional worriers’ should not be unsettled, nor should they pretend to find traps in contractual clauses designed to safeguard the State against potential claims from companies,” he added.
The Prime Minister further stressed that “those who still live with a defeatist persecution mania should consider that, so far, only Turkey—and unfortunately, some of our own—oppose the country’s national course, at a time when the Foreign Minister is in Washington for the second time in a year meeting his American counterpart, deepening our bilateral strategic relationship. Exploiting our wealth and consolidating our rights does not undermine our country; petty doubt does. True patriots are not those who constantly express fears, but those who build a Greece that is unafraid!”
Mitsotakis’s strongly worded remarks come as a direct response to Samaras, who raised concerns over sovereign rights in the Chevron deal. The agreement is on the Cabinet’s agenda, with the Minister of Environment and Energy, Stavros Papastavrou, expected to provide an update from the U.S., along with Deputy Minister Nikos Tsafos via videoconference, on the deal’s progress.
Other items on the Cabinet agenda include the Ministry of Finance bill introducing stricter regulations on illegal gambling, as well as measures agreed upon during recent meetings between Mitsotakis and farmers, such as restoring the fuel excise tax at the pump and providing cheaper electricity for agriculture. The Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection will also implement changes to disaster compensation procedures, including full digitization and faster disbursement of funds.
Kyriakos Mitsotakis, in his opening speech is expected to give a practical response to Antonis Samaras, who raised the issue of sovereign rights in the Greek state deal with Chevron. Besides, the progress of the contract is on the agenda of the cabinet, as Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou, from the US, where he will be connected via teleconference, and Deputy Minister Nikos Tsafos, is expected to give a briefing.
Also discussed at the Cabinet meeting will include the Finance Ministry’s bill that includes a number of stricter regulations on illegal gambling, while also including some of the provisions agreed to in recent meetings between PM Mitsotakis with the country’s farmers (refund of VAT on the pump, cheap rural electricity, etc.). Also, the Ministry of Climate Crisis and Civil Protection brings changes to the framework of compensation for victims of natural disasters with full digitization of procedures and faster disbursement of money.
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