“We are expanding our horizons and seeking new, powerful alliances”, stresses Alternate Minister of Foreign Affairs Miltiadis Varvitsiotis in an interview for the Italian online magazine Formiche.net, just a few days after his official visit to Italy. In his interview with Francesco de Palo, Mr. Varvitsiotis discusses all of the issues at the top of the European agenda, including Libya, migration, energy and the pandemic. More specifically, regarding EU-Turkey relations, he notes that Turkey does not seem to be ready to follow a positive agenda with Europe. Concerning Libya, the Alternate Minister underscores that the political process that is under way is the only opportunity to resolve the crisis and achieve sustainable peace in the region. “The stabilisation of Libya is important to both Greek and Italy, and we reconfirmed this during my talks in Rome. We want to ensure a secure environment in the Mediterranean, with respect to the rules of international law,” he stresses, adding that the Greek government is prepared to support the Libyan people in every possible way, at both bilateral and European level. On the topic of the new defence and energy alliances, Mr. Varvitsiotis highlights that “we are implementing a proactive foreign policy that has transformed our country into a strong strategic player for stability, security and prosperity in the Eastern Mediterranean. Attaching great importance to Italy’s participation in the Eastmed natural gas pipeline, Mr. Varvitsiotis underlines the benefits the project will bring for Greece, the Eastern Mediterranean and the EU as a whole. Regarding EU-Turkey relations, Mr. Varvitsiotis notes that Turkey does not seem to be ready to follow a positive agenda with the European Union. “The message from the latest European Council meeting was clear: If Turkey really wants to turn a new page, it has to prove, in practice, its long-term and sincere respect for European law, European principles and values. But it must also respect international law and the principle of good neighbourly relations, avoiding provocative and unilateral actions,” he underscores. On the national level, asked about the progress in implementing the “Greece 2.0” National Recovery and Resilience Plan, the Alternate Minister stresses that the plan has already been presented to and positively assessed by the European Commission. “Centred on structural reforms and attracting investments, our national effort will focus on primary sectors, such as: digital economy, green transformation, increased employment through the creation of 200,000 new jobs,” he notes. Finally, on the issue of reopening tourism in Greece on 15 May, Mr. Varvitsiotis points out that the immediate launch of the Green Digital Certificate is of paramount importance for the recovery and opening of the economy and tourism.
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