FAMAGUSTA GAZETTE – Cyprus cannot advance its energy initiatives without progress on the Cyprus issue and Turkish-Greek relations, Alithia reported, headlining its analysis as “Cyprus’ Third Attempt.”
The newspaper highlighted past failures, including the stalled EastMed pipeline and unutilized natural gas reserves, warning that the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI) now faces cancellation.
It emphasized Türkiye’s influence in the region, noting that no major Eastern Mediterranean project can proceed without Ankara’s consent or at least its tolerance.
Despite the Cypriot government promoting the GSI as independent of Türkiye, Alithia reported that Athens has quietly shifted focus toward alternatives like GREGY, acknowledging the project’s political fragility.
Greek Foreign Minister Yorgos Ierapetridis’ remarks that the GSI would proceed “at the appropriate time” were framed as diplomatic rather than definitive.
The EU is unlikely to exert pressure on Türkiye, the newspaper observed, citing priorities such as the ReArm Europe project and refugee negotiations.
It stressed that resolving the Cyprus issue is key to unlocking major regional energy projects, arguing that only an agreement addressing the minimum interests of all—including Türkiye—can secure the GSI’s future.