Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has delivered a sharp rebuke to former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras, firmly defending a landmark offshore energy deal with Chevron and dismissing claims that it compromises Greek sovereignty.
Addressing a Cabinet meeting, Mr. Mitsotakis hailed the hydrocarbon exploration partnership with Chevron and HelleniQ Energy off the coast of Crete as a strategic triumph.
He said the agreement actively exercises Greece's sovereign rights and positions the nation as Europe’s primary natural gas gateway.
Mr. Mitsotakis aggressively rejected criticism led by Mr. Samaras, who argued that specific contract clauses could cede national rights. The prime minister called such skepticism "out of touch with reality."
"The real threat to the homeland is not exploiting its wealth or consolidating its rights — it is the petty skepticism," Mr. Mitsotakis said. "True patriots are not those who constantly express fears, but those who build a Greece that is not afraid."
Government spokesman Pavlos Marinakis reinforced the administration's stance, clarifying that the disputed clauses serve exclusively to protect the state from potential corporate compensation claims.
Mr. Marinakis noted the safeguards are standard practice, particularly amid ongoing maritime boundary discussions with neighboring Libya.
The forceful public response marks a sharp escalation in tensions between the government and Mr. Samaras.
Following his expulsion from the ruling New Democracy party in late 2024, Mr. Samaras has become an increasingly vocal critic of the current administration's foreign policy.
By Penny Avramidi