Opposition politicians are worried about the Vasiliko LNG terminal project. They say the project is being managed in secret. Costs are rising quickly. The total cost could reach €1 billion. Etyfa, the state company, is not sharing important financial information. This includes payments to consultants.
There was a big discussion on Tuesday. Members of a parliamentary committee asked Etyfa for more openness. The chairman, Giorgos Ashikalis, did not give many details. He said there are legal cases in London. He thinks sharing information now could hurt the government's case. MPs are frustrated. They want clear answers about the project's money and status.
The Energy Minister, Michalis Damianos, also gave unclear answers. He did not say when the project will finish. He said the government wants to find a solution. Delays are due to slow bureaucracy and complex buying rules. The minister promised to return with better answers later.
The Vasiliko LNG project has had many problems. A Chinese company left the project in July 2024. This caused big issues. Contracts needed to be reviewed. New partners had to be found. The legal cases in London are a result of this problem.
The committee chairman, Kyriacos Hadjiyiannis, admitted the challenges. He said the government is trying to find a way forward. However, the lack of clear information from Etyfa and the minister makes the opposition more anxious. They fear the project's cost is increasing too much.
More openness is needed from Etyfa and the Energy Ministry. The project has legal battles and changes. People need more information. High costs are a big concern for Cyprus's energy plans. Finding a solution to the legal cases and getting a new contractor are very important. This will decide if the project becomes real and how much it will cost.