The President of the Hellenic Republic Constantine An. Tassoulas, at the invitation of the Prime Minister of Croatia Andrej Plenković, is participating in the 11th Summit of the Three Seas Initiative, which is being held in Dubrovnik.
Following the conclusion of the works of the Summit, Mr. Tassoulas made the following statement:
“At the Business Forum of the Three Seas Initiative today, here in Dubrovnik, was discussed the review of the ten-year existence of this initiative. We unanimously concluded that the Three Seas Initiative ensures, through connectivity, national security and economic development, at the same time. Connectivity in the fields of energy, transport and digital development is the key to national security and economic growth.
I stressed that Greece, even though it has been a member of this initiative for only three years, has great potential and is at the forefront of connectivity, which is the objective and the requirement of this initiative. Through Greece, energy will be directed at an increasing rate northward, contributing to the energy sufficiency of central and southeastern Europe.
Thus, from here, the national security and economic development of all the countries participating in the initiative are supported, thanks to Greece’s participation and thanks to Greece’s political will to take a leading role in this area.”
Earlier, in his intervention at the Meeting of the Business Forum Leaders’ Panel, Mr. Tassoulas, responding to a question about the future of the Three Seas Initiative Summit, stressed the following:
“Allow me to add Greece’s point of view, the dimension of Southern Europe to this initiative. Greece has been a member since 2023, but we have embraced the initial idea. This very initiative, in my view, broadens and extends our borders, our energy borders, our digital borders and our borders in the field of transport.
Greece has become a key gateway for natural gas heading to the north, Bulgaria, Romania, Moldova and Ukraine, and thus we are expanding our capabilities. This makes us stronger and, of course, we are at the forefront of this endeavor. In fact, I believe we are moving faster than the European Union and serve as an example for the European Union.
With regard to the geopolitical crisis we are facing, with the war in Ukraine and the Middle East, what is happening in our region—in Central, Southwestern and Southeastern Europe—is the answer to our concerns. We have serious concerns due to the conflicts, but we also have the answers.
What will happen after the wars? This is the answer: After the wars, we will continue to cooperate in three areas: transport, energy and digital connectivity. This cooperation will make us stronger, more productive, and more effective. This is the future of our region, this is the future of Europe and I believe this is the future of a world that is currently being tested by conflicts.”
