“The rights of Greek fishing stem from the Law of the Sea and the Exclusive Economic Zone,” Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, Vassilis Kikilias, said on the sidelines of his meeting with the EU Commissioner for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, Costas Kadis.
He added that these rights must be safeguarded and not violated, so that we can practice this important profession safely and with respect for the regulations. He also stressed the importance of the supervision of the Coast Guard to ensure compliance with the distances from the coast and respect for the relevant regulations regarding bottom trawlers.
The minister highlighted the crucial role and importance of fisheries.
Referring to energy interconnections and the importance of maritime infrastructure, he underlined that “energy issues and the way in which we ensure undersea interconnections – which can lead to cheaper electricity, better exploitation, no waste and collaborations between the countries of the region – are very important to us and we are ready to serve these European policies.”
Kikilias reiterated Greece’s commitment to strengthening European cooperation, stating that “whatever the European Commission asks of us, whether in terms of know-how for our islands, energy resources, desalination plants or the maritime network, we are here to contribute”.
Finally, he underlined that “once again, I will emphasize that strength lies in unity. We understand that time is often needed to make decisions.
We are here to cooperate better and to speed up the time for decisions for the benefit of the European peoples and of course our citizensin Greece and Cyprus”.
