Tensions between Greece and Turkey are poised to sharpen in September, with Athens bracing for potential on-the-ground frictions over the planned Cyprus–Crete electricity interconnector and a flurry of energy-related decisions across the Eastern Mediterranean. Greek officials say the EU-backed subsea cable will proceed despite Turkish objections, even as new hydrocarbon developments around Cyprus and licensing south of Crete raise the risk of maritime confrontations ahead of a likely meeting between Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and President Recep Tayyip Erdogan at the UN General Assembly later this month.
According to reporting by Alexia Tasouli in NewsBomb, the Greek government is focused on two immediate fronts that could trigger fresh incidents with Turkey: the launch of works on the Cyprus–Crete interconnection and the closing stages of an international tender for offshore hydrocarbon exploration south of Crete and the Peloponnese. Athens has notified Brussels that the interconnector is a strategic European project and has urged the European Union to intervene decisively, arguing that no third country should be allowed to obstruct critical EU infrastructure while seeking EU funds.
Greek Foreign Minister Giorgos Gerapetritis has framed the cable as a milestone that would end Cyprus’ energy isolation by physically linking the island to the European grid. Reinforcing that message of resolve, Minister Stavros Papastavrou recently said Greece is exercising its sovereign rights "with deeds, not words," in line with the government's strategic plan, and "is not affected by Turkey's reactions."
Ankara is expected to resist any move toward construction, Greek officials say, particularly after reports of a fresh natural-gas find in Cyprus' Block 10. The discovery, made by operator ExxonMobil and drilled by the Valaris DS-9 in waters approximately 1,921 meters deep and roughly 190 kilometers southwest of Cyprus, will undergo further analysis in the coming months. The well, dubbed Pegasus-1, is the second discovery in Block 10 by the ExxonMobil–QatarEnergy consortium, following the announcement of Glaucus-1 in February 2019. The Glaucus-2 appraisal well, completed in March 2022, confirmed a gas reservoir with high-quality characteristics, as previously reported.
A second pressure point lies south of Crete, where an international tender for new offshore exploration and production concessions is due to conclude on September 10. Energy majors, including Chevron, BP, Eni, and ExxonMobil, have expressed interest, raising the stakes in a zone already complicated by the 2019 Turkey–Libya maritime memorandum. Greek officials warn that any move by Libyan authorities to activate that deal and award blocks extending below the median line could provoke new tensions. They also see Turkey attempting to deter the entry of companies such as Chevron through veiled threats while leveraging its influence in Libya.
Diplomatic observers in Athens are additionally watching Ankara's outreach to Cairo. Greece argues that any attempt by Turkey and Egypt to delimit an exclusive economic zone beyond the 28th meridian would be unacceptable without Greek participation. Meanwhile, October elections in the Turkish-controlled north of Cyprus could reshape the political calculus on the island, depending on who emerges at the helm and their room for maneuver.
Amid this fluid landscape, a meeting between Mitsotakis and Erdogan is anticipated on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. At the same time, Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump at the White House, according to the same reporting. For Athens and Brussels alike, September will test the balance between advancing Europe's energy security projects and managing a fraught regional security environment.
Photo: Generate by Gemini AI.