The time limit for the implementation of the commitment by 2024 has elapsed, but the procedure for the establishment of the two national marine parks has started and is advancing in accordance with the relevant provisions in the legislation. At present, we are currently at the first step for both parks: The carrying out of the two Special Environmental Studies has been assigned to consultants-– surveyors and their drafting is in progress.
However, as regards the Ionian National Marine Park, the announcement by the Ministry of the Environment on the launch of the process for the granting of hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation concessions in two new areas ‘South of the Peloponnese’ and ‘Block A2’, located southwest of the Peloponnese and in fact at the Oinousses Trench, which is the deepest point of the Mediterranean Sea, is extremely worrying. The announcement of an international tender, which includes also the delineation of the marine areas to be concessioned, was approved by a decision of the Ministry of Environment and Energy on the 23rd of January 2024. The release of already licensed marine areas for hydrocarbon exploration and exploitation in the Ionian Sea, which will be included in the new marine park and will render the park ‘continuous’ in accordance with the relevant announcement of the Ministry of Environment and Energy cannot be regarded as an offset for the concession of new exploration and exploitation concession areas, which will be adjacent to the park. Hydrocarbon exploration and extraction are highly harmful activities, totally incompatible to the establishment of marine parks and with any notion of protection of sensitive and important species and habitats in an area with high ecological value, as is the Hellenic Trench.
