45880 - Parliament’s historic decision in regards to the contracts within the Greek EEZ

N. Lygeros
Translated from the Greek by Athina Kehagias

With the Hellenic Parliament’s historic decision regarding the contracts re: marine block 10, the marine region Ionion and the maritime regions West of Crete and Southwest of Crete, Greece obtains a strong energean chessboard.
This decision comes to reinforce the result we had for marine block 2.
Finally, after consultation, a vote by roll call took place, which allowed us to in actual fact see what is the position of the Members of Parliament and not merely those of the political parties
In that fashion, it is clear who gave a fight for the utilization of the Greek mineral wealth within our EEZ.
Because the voting was conducted separately for each marine region, we were able to observe the results analytically upon the whole.
Let’s start with marine regions West of Crete and Southwest of Crete. 172 MPs voted in favour, 36 voted against and 74 present.
About marine block 10, 180 MPs voted in favour, which means an overwhelming majority, 27 MPs voted against and 75 were present.
For the marine region Ionion, 181 MPs voted for, 27 voted against and 74 were present.
All of these polls occurred with 282 Members of the Hellenic Parliament present.
These polls with such an overwhelmingly majority constitute an enormous success for the Greek EEZ project, as the 4 marine regions are within the sovereign rights factor and not sovereignty.
Additionally the fact that many political parties had a positive approach toward the matter, is of great importance for the future.
Because even an artificial neutrality is counted positively.
More so, if we were to deduct the votes of the political parties which always vote negatively, or that vote negatively for purely partisanly reasons, then we can understand how great the success is.
The overall result however now comprises part of the history of Hellenism, and it as a result constitutes a practical justification for all those who did believe and do believe, who fought and do fight for the Greek EEZ.
It’s also indicative of the fact that Greek MPs are better informed now about a matter which was in fact unknown until some years ago.
Those by roll call polls indicate which MPs are actually in favour of the utilization of the Greek EEZ far beyond political party involvement, since for yet one more time, a certain government and political party promoted the signing of the contracts and another government and other political parties ratified it.
In this manner we know with objective criteria what is each ones point of view, regarding each of the 4 marine blocks.
In other words, within the differences found between polls, we also see petty partisanly perceptions which don’t take into account the big picture, ie, the utilization of the Greek EEZ, which shields not only our sovereign rights but also Greece itself as such.
Because all these contracts with Hellenic Petroleum, Repsol, Total and Exxon Mobil are indicative of the fact that Greece has Spain, Italy, France and America as allies, because now they all have strong energean interests with us. and in fact in both NATO and European contexts at that.
That is why the Parliament’s decision is a strategic one.