This project was born out of an urgent necessity and love for one’s country
Even though the EuroAsia Interconnector cable is going to be piercing Poseidon’s kingdom as deep as 2,000 meters and over a distance of more than 1,500 kilometers, it does not seek to compete but to help countries and people connect and prosper.
This project was born out of an urgent necessity and love for one’s country. This is why when it was first announced it may have sounded like a romantic idea. In January 2012, we simply said that we wanted to connect three countries lacking the necessary infrastructure, with an electrical cable buried in the sea. The skeptics and the cynics, justifiably, were exclaiming “How are you going to get over this obstacle and then the next and then all the other obstacles you are bound to face?” But we knew that as long as we kept our sights fixed on our goal, each obstacle will become a learning experience and just another stepping stone. Today’s event is a testament of our determination to keep moving forward.
I am extremely happy and proud to be here at this historic juncture of human intelligence and creativity. Our ambitious idea, which during these four years became the leading project of the European Union, is about to take one more step towards realisation.
The assignment of these three studies signifies the final stage before implementation. I congratulate the two successful, globally renowned, companies GAS and CESI. I am certain you will exceed our expectations.
Such an enormous project requires an orchestrated collaboration between many institutions. Therefore it was critical that we join forces only with the best. We know that these two companies possess a high level of expertise, proven hands-on experience and an excellent track record.
I would like to thank the European Union for embracing this project as its own and the governments of Cyprus, Greece and Israel for their constant support and encouragement. I also would like to express my deepest appreciation to all our international consultants for infusing the project with their expertise and care.
Much deserving kudos to the European Parliament Office in Cyprus for being such a gracious co-organiser.
And last but most definitely not least, I am grateful to my colleagues George Killas, our tireless Project Director, and Athanasios Stivaros, our diligent Technical Director.