DIKO leader Nikolas Papadopoulos has welcomed the decision by the Eni-TotalEnergies consortium to proceed with the development of the Cronos gas field, describing it as a historic milestone for the Republic of Cyprus.
In a statement on Tuesday, Papadopoulos said the consortium's Final Investment Decision (FID), which aims to bring Cypriot natural gas exports to the European market by 2028, represents the culmination of nearly two decades of energy policy planning.
He said that after 19 years of efforts, Cyprus' energy strategy is beginning to deliver "tangible results", marking a transition "from energy planning to the utilisation of our natural wealth".
Praise for successive governments
Papadopoulos also praised successive Cypriot governments for maintaining the country's energy strategy despite external pressures.
He said Cyprus had not yielded to Turkish threats and that the decisions taken over the years had helped make the current development possible.
Recognition for energy ministers
The DIKO leader also paid tribute to former Energy Minister George Papanastasiou and current Energy Minister Michalis Damianos, congratulating both for their contribution to advancing the project.
‘Vision, determination and persistence’
Concluding his remarks, Papadopoulos said the development demonstrated what Cyprus can achieve through long-term commitment.
"The Cypriot people have once again shown what they can achieve when there is vision, determination and persistence," he said.
