Opposition parties seek answers over WSJ report
Several Greek opposition parties are demanding answers from the government following a Wall Street Journal report about US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle, American LNG and an alleged exchange with Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou.
The report has prompted statements from SYRIZA, ELAS, the Communist Party of Greece and PASOK, all calling for clarification.
US LNG push in the Balkans
According to the Wall Street Journal, the US administration has been encouraging European allies to buy American natural gas as part of efforts to reduce Europe’s dependence on Russian energy.
The report says Guilfoyle has been promoting a planned “vertical gas corridor” that would bring US liquefied natural gas into Greece and transport it through the Balkans toward markets including Ukraine.
The report also refers to the involvement of businesses and lobbyists in efforts to advance the regional LNG strategy.
The alleged exchange
The most controversial part of the report concerns an alleged conversation between Guilfoyle and Papastavrou at a dinner in Athens in March.
According to the Wall Street Journal, Guilfoyle referred to the political situation in Romania and allegedly told the Greek minister: “We can do this in any country we want. We can do it here too.”
The newspaper said the account was based on a person who attended the dinner and others who were briefed about the incident.
According to the report, Papastavrou responded that the United States could not replace Greece’s elected government.
Guilfoyle’s lawyer disputed the way the conversation was described.
Opposition demands answers
SYRIZA called on Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and the government to confirm or deny whether the reported exchange took place. It also questioned Greece’s continued support for the vertical gas corridor and increased reliance on US LNG.
ELAS similarly asked the government to explain whether the incident occurred and, if so, how Greek officials responded.
The Communist Party of Greece said the report raised questions about US energy policy in the Balkans and reiterated its opposition to the vertical gas corridor and broader Greek-US strategic cooperation.
PASOK said the report required an official response from the ministries of foreign affairs and energy and environment, stressing the importance of Greece acting as a sovereign state.
Government response awaited
The opposition parties have focused their criticism on the lack of an immediate government response to the report.
The controversy has brought renewed attention to Greece’s role in the regional LNG network, the promotion of American natural gas and the wider energy relationship between Greece and the United States.
The alleged conversation remains disputed. The Wall Street Journal attributed its account to sources familiar with the dinner, while Guilfoyle’s lawyer challenged the description of what was said.
Source:Kathimerini
