Green light for TAP, amber for hydrocarbon tenders

The new government will support the Trans Adriatic Pipeline (TAP), for the transport of natural gas, but will seek to maximize Greece’s benefits from the project, Energy Minister Panayiotis Lafazanis said on Tuesday after meeting with Azeri Ambassador in Athens Rahman Mustafayev and Socar Energy Greece CEO Anar Mammadov.

Regarding gas network operator DESFA’s sale to Socar, Lafazanis said the government is still waiting for the European competition authorities’ verdict before it can determine its next moves.

On the issue of hydrocarbons, the minister confirmed there will be no intervention in tenders under way in the three land blocks in western Greece, for which the bids are due on Friday. However he announced that the framework for the 20 sea blocks will be revised, as many issues will have to be redefined, thereby leaving open the possibility of an extension to the tenders.

Opposition New Democracy protested at the statements concerning a revision of the sea block tenders, with its spokesman Costas Karagounis stating that “this decision practically leads to the cancellation of the tenders at a huge cost for the country, as it will harm Greece’s credibility.”