With the new concession round for hydrocarbon exploration and extraction, Crete is at the forefront, as even the names of the marine blocks refer to it.
But what’s most important at an economic level is that they in actual fact cover surface areas much larger than those of the previous ones.
Therefore, the region Southwest of Crete extends beyond the previous marine blocks 12, 16 and 17, and extends a little over the number 13 and 18 blocks.
This actually means that it co functions with five of the nine marine blocks of the first licensing round which are situated south of Crete.
So while there were no nominations during the previous round for these regions, and we were told by some voidance serving experts that such was the case due to a lack of interest from the oil companies, even though we all saw the problem as purely ideological.
They are now forced to accept the tragic mistake of their supposed analysis, which was nothing else than a propaganda tool.
Additionally, as the new licensing round will also function within the 2289/1995 Hydrocarbon Law, with the 4001/2011 amendment context, Regional Crete will have the right to claim 5% of the Greek State’s income from the contract which will occur with the consortium.
Consequently, as behind schedule as some institutions are at different levels, they should sooner or later, but better sooner than later, get informed about this parameter within their strategic planning, even if they hadn’t bet upon the energean issue in order to creating their future.
Regional Crete itself will have the right to have a representative even at the negotiations stage with the oil companies.
And if there are still some gullible ones who don’t pay attention to the details, the same is applicable for the region of Attica as well, since both sea blocks, as strange as it may seem, due to Kythira, have a part of them belonging to this Region, which we like to believe would be up to date with associated data, and will make use of its rights for the future.
Consequently, at every level of Crete, from the municipalities which have a direct interest even in regards to the supporting services, up to the Regional Crete, always in conjunction with the Ministry of Energy, which followed the course of the first licensing round in a professional manner, making use of the European Union, all information should be circulating without obstacles, because transparency is the alpha and the omega in such procedures occurring at both national as well as local levels.