Minister of Maritime Affairs and Island Policy, Vasilis Kikilias, addressed the investigation process surrounding the shipwreck conditions in Chios, the role and work of the Coast Guard, as well as the need to protect the country from illegal immigration. He also discussed strengthening port infrastructure and new investments being launched in the maritime sector, in an interview with radio station Real 97.8.
Regarding the maritime accident in Chios, the minister said that “the Sworn Administrative Investigation is proceeding normally by those who have the authority and responsibility. The experts, specialists, the investigator conducting the SAI, etc. are doing their job. As is the other part, the judicial one, because from my position I do not intervene in these procedures, especially in such a tragic accident.” However, he noted that he regrets that “I don’t see this institutionality, responsibility and professionalism in certain other colleagues. I answered their questions in Parliament, in a process that lasted 4 hours. It’s not possible for them to want to replace the expert witnesses – I am not one and I say this honestly – the specialists, judges, translators, etc., to want to enter hospitals, to intervene in a role that exists administratively or judicially and that we must respect. Either we truly believe in the separation of powers or we don’t believe it and we want to intervene in everything and determine in advance, in a communicative framework, not a real one, what reality is. After the completion of the investigations, we will know judicially too, after the testimonies.”
Vasilis Kikilias: In any case, we support the Coast Guard
Mr. Kikilias emphasized that “in any case, we support the Coast Guard. We have maritime borders. We support our islanders down to the last border island of the country, as well as our mainland areas and our borders. We cannot accept, in any case, that our Western civilization, our modern history and our older one, our culture, our security, our religion, our way of life can be questioned by anyone who wants to enter our country and Europe illegally. And European leaders, in Munich and Davos, spoke about European security and the need for defensive armor of the continent and member states. It’s not easy for me to think how this will happen with some people’s thinking about open borders. And I explained to Parliament that this policy of open maritime borders led in 2015, under SYRIZA governance, to hundreds of deaths, drownings. The High Commissioner said 800. We’re talking about modern trafficking, about criminals who set up businesses worth millions of dollars from Turkey to Greece and then, through the Balkan corridor, to Northern Europe. These policies were catastrophic and have been disapproved. Obviously, I don’t judge anyone’s motives and I tell the opposition that ‘I accept your social sensitivity and that your starting point comes from a patriotism similar to ours.’ But let’s face facts. We will neither leave Athens neighborhoods at God’s mercy, where there is a large and accumulated problem all these years due to illegal immigration, nor our islands.”
Regarding statements by US President Donald Trump, who characterized Greece as a valuable partner and ally of the US, noting that there are significant opportunities for further deepening cooperation in sectors such as shipping, Mr. Kikilias stated: “Regarding shipping, which I consider to be a very strong development sector for the country, D. Trump made two important announcements. One has to do with the country’s stance in the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regarding the fuels we will use – LNG – and whether we could use them for a few more years. This affects and concerns all of us, because the biggest problem we have in the country is high prices. Prime Minister K. Mitsotakis made the decision, after the recommendations we made, to support the line that says the fuels used in shipping will be such that they don’t create an inflationary crisis, a high-cost crisis and an energy crisis, with increases in product prices. That is, some wanted, in some ideal world, where completely ‘green’ biofuels have not yet been fully discovered, to tax the shipping sector with billions, which would be passed on from shipowners to charterers and from charterers to the real economy, to the supermarket, to the local market, to stores, to the cost of natural gas, oil, etc. This was avoided for now, at least for a year and the battle will continue to be fought. And this is a big gain for citizens.”
Finally, regarding upcoming investments in the port of Elefsina, he emphasized that “it seems very logical to me. The Prime Minister gave the order to ‘run a tender’ for the port of Elefsina, which has tremendous history. It is strategically in an excellent location and the goal is to develop it and give Western Attica multiple times more value. An international tender will run, because this is European legislation and this is the only way a port can be conceded to be upgraded, to have commercial use, possibly to have military use too. Next to Elefsina, a very high-level marina for super yachts can also be created. The coastal zone can be developed. The value of houses and properties of area residents can be increased. There can be development at the level of food service establishments, in maritime professions and professions related to the sector, etc., so that the area is upgraded and reaches levels that residents can enjoy and new jobs are opened.”
