The President of DIKO, Nikolas Papadopoulos, launched a scathing attack on Finance Minister Makis Keravnos on Friday, accusing him of “insulting” behaviour and demanding that President Nikos Christodoulides clarify a growing rift within the Cabinet over the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI).
Speaking on the national broadcaster CyBC, Papadopoulos criticised the Finance Minister for dismissing the expertise of the newly appointed Minister of Energy regarding the electricity link with Greece. The row highlights a deepening divide between the two ministries over whether a new economic viability study is required for the multi-million-euro project, which has already secured 658 million euros in European Union funding.
Cabinet divisions and ‘political games’
The dispute was triggered by recent comments from Keravnos, who suggested the Energy Minister had not yet been fully briefed on the file. Papadopoulos described these remarks as “dismissive and offensive,” noting that the Energy Minister’s position—that the project is sustainable due to EU backing—is being undermined by his own colleague.
“The President of the Republic must finally state publicly which minister he agrees with,” Papadopoulos said, challenging the head of state to intervene. “Is it the Minister of Energy or the Minister of Finance? He cannot agree with both. Are we playing games? One of them must be right, because they cannot both be.”
Demands for respect
The DIKO leader also reacted strongly to broader criticisms attributed to Keravnos, who reportedly accused critics of the government’s caution of being “irresponsible” and hiding behind “patriotic cloaks.”
Papadopoulos reminded the administration that both the President and the Finance Minister hold their offices due to the support of DIKO voters. He stated that the party has backed the government at a significant “political cost” and demanded “more respect” from government officials when referring to the party and its positions.
Warnings of project collapse
The most critical point of contention remains the government’s insistence on a secondary cost-benefit analysis for the subsea cable. According to the DIKO president, the European Commissioner for Energy has already rejected the proposal for a new study, stating that the EU’s existing assessment—which justified the 658 million euro grant—is sufficient.
Papadopoulos warned that the Finance Ministry’s “persistence” in commissioning an additional study could lead to the “collapse of the project.”
Furthermore, he cited reports that the government is considering awarding the contract for the new study to a firm that has already publicly expressed opposition to the interconnector, a move he suggested would be counterproductive to the Republic’s energy goals.
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