Greece political row erupts over claims of Turkish pressure near Kasos

New Democracy MP Angelos Syrigos has sparked political controversy by claiming that Greece retreated twice in 2024 due to Turkish threats during the cable-laying process near Kasos for the Greece-Cyprus electricity interconnection.

Despite government attempts to dismiss these remarks as personal opinions, Syrigos maintains that the Greek side halted operations to assess changes in Turkey's stance after encountering unexpected resistance. He noted that while seven cables have been laid in the Eastern Mediterranean without issue since 2003, Turkey has adopted a different approach in 2024.

Opposition figures, including Katerina Berdou of SYRIZA, have criticized the government's handling of the situation. Berdou argued that Syrigos's admission exposes weaknesses in the administration's management of Greek-Turkish relations and questioned the credibility of previous government statements regarding the movement of research vessels like the Oruc Reis.