Corfu yet to take a position on offshore exploration as consultation deadline approaches

With no recorded institutional position from the Ionian Islands Regional Authority or Corfu’s municipalities, the public consultation on the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the “Asopos-1A” exploratory well in Block 2 is drawing to a close.

The issue is particularly significant for the Ionian Islands Region and the Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontia Islands: the well is located within the Corfu regional unit, while the Diapontia Islands are the closest island area to the exploration field.

The Ionian Islands Regional Authority has had the file since August. On 24 August, it published the EIA, explicitly stating that it was being forwarded “for an opinion”. To date, however, no opinion from the Region has been made public, nor has any announced meeting of the competent collective body on the matter been identified.

Similarly, no decision by the Municipal Councils of Central, North or South Corfu on the specific EIA has been made public.

In the Municipality of Central Corfu, there has in fact been a written request from the Laiki Syspirosi party since 18 September for an immediate extraordinary meeting. The request was also raised verbally at the 16 September meeting, on the grounds that a decision should be taken before the public consultation ends on 23 September. To date, no such meeting has been announced.

Meanwhile, the cultural societies of Othoni and Mathraki have already taken a position against the drilling and have called on the Regional Authority and municipalities to adopt negative decisions.

Meanwhile, procedures have moved forward elsewhere

In Epirus, the picture is different. The Municipality of Igoumenitsa discussed the EIA and issued a positive opinion on the exploratory phase, while setting environmental and operational conditions.

The Region of Epirus has also placed the same file, under PET 2608016214, on the agenda of its Environmental Committee, which is meeting on 24 September to issue an opinion. Notably, the agenda itself specifies that the well is located in the Municipality of Corfu and Diapontia Islands, Corfu Regional Unit, Ionian Islands Region.

The comparison, therefore, is specific. It is not about whether local government should support or oppose the drilling. It is about whether it is using the institutional mechanism available to it to record a position, observations and conditions before the environmental permitting process moves forward.

Igoumenitsa has done so. The Region of Epirus is convening its competent body.

In Corfu, where the project is located, neither the Ionian Islands Regional Authority nor the municipalities has so far made a corresponding decision public.

And as the process moves forward, the absence of a position ceases to be merely an administrative pending matter. It takes on political significance. Because when local government is called upon to express an opinion on an activity of this scale in its maritime area, the issue is not only what position it will take. It is also whether it will take a position in time.

GIORGOS KATSAITIS