How Greece could get cheap gas from Russia - The example of Italy

While the energy crisis continues to pound Greek households and many Western-backed voices accuse Russia of playing with gas, the answer to the crisis seems to be the Italy, which is supplied gas from Russia at preferential prices.

Notis Marias, Professor of Institutions of the European Union at the University of Crete, former MEP and president of the "Greece-The Other Way" party, explained this to Sputnik Hellas.

"The key is long-term contracts. Italian energy companies continue to work with Gazprom on the basis of such agreements and have the ability to buy Russian gas at much cheaper prices than those prevailing in the market," he said.

"This was the response given by Russian President Vladimir Putin to European politicians, businessmen and consumers during a recent teleconference with representatives of the Italian business elite," Marias recalled.

READ MORE: US once again abandons Greek interests with EastMed Pipeline to appease Turkey.

At the same time, he added that it is "a great economic and diplomatic success for Russia to receive a vote of confidence from 16 leading companies that participated in the teleconference."

"They are cooperating with Russia and have no reason to play the Cold War game of the West, which would have the effect of blowing up economic relations between Italy and Russia," Marias added.

At the same time, Marias expressed his opposition to the fact that although Greece has the ability to negotiate long-term contracts with Russia, either at the transnational or corporate level, "it chooses to promote the much more expensive American shale, which will be transported from the USA at the FSRU of Alexandroupoli, ie at the floating liquefied natural gas terminal."

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"Since 2015, the United States has shown that it did not want the EastMed pipeline in practice, which would provide a third alternative to Greece. Looking back at Obama's visit to Greece, I have since pointed out that the US President sought a new agreement with the Greek government regarding LNG and its transfer to Greece, at the Alexandroupoli hub to be exported to the Balkans," said the former MEP.

The above was fully confirmed with the blessings of our European partners.

Therefore, Marias concludes, it was not just by chance that the US torpedo was fired at the EastMed pipeline project as there is a long-term plan.

READ MORE: EastMed: Turkey’s Two-Pipeline Scenario’s and Electric Cable.