Deputy Foreign Minister Dimitris Mardas delivered a welcome address today at the opening of the proceedings of the 20th National Energy Conference, “Energy and Development 2015”, which is being hosted on 11 and 12 November, in Athens, by the Institute of Energy for South East Europe (IENE).
Below is the text of his address:
“Mr. President,
Ladies and Gentlemen,
I would like to congratulate the IENE on its holding of the 20th National Energy Conference, which this year puts particular emphasis on the role of the energy sector in the recovery of the Greek economy, which is also a priority of our government.
Among the basic elements of our policy are diversification of natural gas sources and routes, so that we can enhance national and European energy security and, at the same time, significantly benefit consumers.
Greece satisfies all of the necessary conditions for becoming an energy hub in South East Europe – an eventuality that will increase the country’s geopolitical sway and put an end to the energy isolation of the wider Balkan region.
You know that various energy projects are under way, like the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) and the process for upgrading the Revithoussa facilities. At the same time, our government is participating actively in the development of other plans, like the “Southeast European Pipeline,” the East Med natural gas pipeline, the creation of an LNG terminal and storage facilities in northern Greece, and, in particular, the Interconnector Greece Bulgaria (IGB), which will form part of the vertical corridor and is of strategic importance to our country. To find funding for this Corridor, the Foreign Ministers of Greece, Bulgaria and Hungary recently undertook a joint initiative for the creation of a “European Energy Security Fund”.
At the Foreign Ministry, we believe that the energy sector is among the key sectors for leveraging the development that will accelerate our country’s recovery from the economic crisis.
Mr. President,
I wish you every success in the proceedings of your conference, which in recent years has evolved into an important forum for promoting our country’s energy issues. It’s importance lies in its providing an opportunity for the exchange of substantial and documented views among representatives of the political and academic communities, as well as players in the energy market in Greece and the countries of the wider region.
Thank you very much.”
November 11, 2015