Electricity subsidies for small and medium-sized enterprises will be announced immediately and apply retroactively to the months of December 2024, January and February 2025, Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou said in an interview with Open TV on Tuesday.

Papastavrou added that businesses proven to have stolen electricity will be excluded from these subsidies, with their share being distributed to the remaining businesses.

Referring to the establishment of the National Spatial Strategy for the Marine Area, which reflects the Maritime Spatial Planning of Greece, the minister stressed that it is the first time that the Greek state outlines detailed uses of its maritime zones, implementing the obligation arising from Directive 2014/89/EU and exercising its rights stemming from International Law. "For the first time, we are proceeding to establish terms and conditions for fishing, cultural protection, tourism, laying the foundations for a stable economy, development, environmental protection. There is also a geopolitical dimension here, because for the first time, the map with the entire continental shelf of our country is being submitted to a regulatory text of the European Union, with full influence both on the continental zone and on the islands," the minister underlined, among other things.

At the same time, he announced that before the end of April, the ministerial decision will be issued regarding the announcement of an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration in the offshore blocks "South Crete 1" and "South Crete 2", a move that is a follow-up to the acceptance of the expression of interest for these marine areas submitted by the company Chevron Balkans Exploration B.V.

In response to a question about the recent S&P upgrade of the Greek economy, he pointed out the great importance of this development, given that, as he said, "it demonstrates the confidence of foreign investors in the country, which means investments, new jobs, better salaries, high competitiveness."

"The government's goal is to preserve fiscal stability, to make the everyday life of Greek citizens better and to return a dividend of economic growth to them, with prudence and fairness", concluded Papastavrou.