Nicosia denies report EastMed pipeline could circumvent Cyprus’ EEZ

The government of the Republic of Cyprus has refuted a report by Greek daily “To Vima” which set out a scenario of the EastMed natural gas pipeline circumventing the Cyprus EEZ.

Director of the President’s Press Office Victoras Papadopoulos who was asked to comment on the report said that “this is not the case.”

“Programming or plans on the EastMed route have not changed,” he noted.

In any case, Papadopoulos pointed out, “it is important to remember that studies have been funded by the EU,” adding that “all countries in the region who are involved [in the project] including the Republic of Cyprus are taking those steps and are making the effort so that when the time comes the alternatives can be available to the companies who will undertake the project to decide.”

Therefore, he said, “there is no such issue.”

Invited to clarify if the Republic of Cyprus is refuting the report he replied in the affirmative.

Greek daily “To Vima”, quoting exclusive information, referred on Monday to a scenario of a change of route of the natural gas pipeline EastMed which would circumvent Cyprus’ EEZ. It said the scenario had been proposed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to Greece’s Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and that it has been discussed between the leaders of the countries involved in the project.

Τhe EastMed pipeline, is a gas pipeline project aiming to connect the gas reserves of Eastern Mediterranean. An intergovernmental agreement was signed on January 2, 2020, in Athens between Greece, Cyprus and Israel, which regulates various issues among the countries concerned, such as maritime jurisdictions, environmental and security issues. It also established a joint working group to monitor and carrying out the necessary work concerning the project. Technical studies for the pipeline are funded by the European Commission with 35 million euros.