Turkish Cypriot president condemns EastMed project

By Busra Nur Bilgic Cakmak

ANKARA (AA) - The Turkish Cypriot president Thursday condemned the Eastern Mediterranean (EastMed) pipeline project which will be signed among Greece, Greek-administered Cyprus and Israel.

“The project contradicts geographical facts, unreasonable in economic terms, and was decided on purely political concerns,” said Mustafa Akinci in a written statement hours before the signing ceremony between Greek Cypriot leader Nikos Anastasiades, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Akinci also said the pipeline, planned to run from Israel to Southern Cyprus, Crete, Greece, and ultimately to Italy, is a much longer and more expensive route than other alternatives.

The project, like the EU membership of Greek-administered Southern Cyprus in 2004, will not help solve the Cyprus problem, he added.

“Geographical facts indicate that exclusion of Turkey and Turkish Cypriots from the energy equation in the Eastern Mediterranean is impossible,” he reiterated.

The EastMed pipeline project is a 1,900-km (1,180-mile) natural gas pipeline project that extends from Israel to Greece and then to Italy.

But the main problems with the project is that it is costly and the gas to cover these costs have not yet actually been supplied.

According to the Greek newspaper To Vima on Thursday, it is estimated that the transfer cost of the natural gas would be three times cheaper if the pipeline passes through Turkey.