Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis (right) and his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov (left) attend the signing event in Athens for the participation of state-controlled company Bulgartransgaz in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal in the port city of Alexandroupoli in northern Greece. Mitsotakis said the terminal will be a "source of wealth’ for the countries of the region and turn the city port into a ‘global energy hub." "The gas will be liquefied and will connect to the national natural gas network and from there it will be channeled at the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023 to Greece, Bulgaria and the whole of Southeastern and Central Europe," he added. Borisov said the project will help both countries become major hubs and play a key role in energy distribution. [Orestis Panagiotou/EPA]

Just when it seemed that Greece and Turkey were entering a phase of de-escalation, the two countries appeared on Monday to be heading for another crisis in the Eastern Mediterranean.

The Alexandroupoli liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal will be a “source of wealth” for the countries of the region and turn the city port into a “global energy hub,” Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said on Monday during a signing ceremony in Athens approving the participation of Bulgaria’s gas transportation company, Bulgartransgaz, in the project.

Germany’s mediatory effort between Athens and Ankara will continue this Tuesday with visits to Athens and Ankara by Foreign Minister Heiko Maas for contacts with his counterparts, in an effort to start anew the discussions between the two sides.

James Baldwin’s much quoted reference to “the fire next time” alerts us to risks we would prefer not to contemplate. It is also a warning against complacency. Over the last few years, there has been no shortage of analyses pointing to the mounting risks in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Athens on Monday issued a Navtex, an advisory to ships including coordinates, that its air and naval forces would conduct joint exercises in an area that overlaps with the one reserved by Ankara in a similar advisory issued on Sunday.

Amid a new diplomatic effort, led by Berlin, to diffuse tension between Greece and Turkey, Athens has made it clear that the prospect of Ankara announcing exploratory activities in areas south or east of Crete that are designated in the Turkey-Libya memorandum is a red line that it will not allow to be crossed.

President Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday Turkey discovered its biggest ever natural gas field holding 320 billion cubic metres (11.3 trillion cubic feet) in the Black Sea, and more could be found as the country works to provide it by as soon as 2023.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and his Bulgarian counterpart Boyko Borisov are on Monday to attend a ceremony in Athens approving the participation of Bulgaria’s Bulgartransgaz in the Alexandroupolis liquefied natural gas terminal.

Turkey has found significant gas resources in the Black Sea, two Turkish sources said, a discovery which could help the country cut its dependence on energy imports if the gas can be commercially extracted.

The European Union must step up its response to Turkey’s escalating “aggression” in the eastern Mediterranean because it's directed against the entire 27-member EU and not just some member nations, Greece's foreign minister said Tuesday.

Alexandros Diakopoulos, the prime minister’s National Security Adviser sought to clarify a statement on the Turkish seismic research vessel Oruc Reis on Tuesday, noting that he told a news panel that the ship “tried” to conduct seismic survey in Greek waters but did not go through with it.

With the Turkish fleet still deployed in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean Monday, Athens remained in full operational readiness while at the same time bracing for the expected launch of a new diplomatic rapprochement with Ankara on August 24.

Greece’s maritime deals with Egypt and Italy will likely be submitted to Parliament for approval next week, a deputy government spokesman said on Monday.

PPC Renewables, a subsidiary of state power firm PPC, is proceeding fast with its renewable energy power plants.

The US wants tighter cooperation on developing gas finds in the "strategically significant" eastern Mediterranean and supports Cyprus' right to exploit hydrocarbon deposits discovered in its waters, a senior US State Department official said Sunday.

A debate has begun again about the location of wind farms in a nature protection area near Lake Prespa in northern Greece after three pelicans died flying into wind turbines on Sunday.

Seismic vessel Oruc Reis switched course early Thursday morning and started moving southward, sailing 15 miles away from Greek territorial waters, according to the Hellenic Navy General Staff (HNGS).

France will increase its military presence in the eastern Mediterranean, President Emmanuel Macron said on Wednesday, calling on Turkey to halt oil and gas exploration in disputed waters that has heightened tensions with Greece.

Environment Minister Kostis Hatzidakis has decided to cut the red tape on renewal energy projects by dispensing some of them from environmental impact assessments and simplifying the approval procedures for others.