Welcome um um welcome to to Athens and uh today's I think a very important day and one which marks uh a uh an important step forward for the great sea uh interconnector as you know this is a project of strategic importance for both Greece Cypus but I think also for Europe as a whole and the entry of Meridium as a majority shareholder uh in the great sea uh interconnector company is a special purpose vehicle established by Admire or IPO um in English for the implementation of the project I think is a very strong vote of confidence in Greece's energy sector in's technical capabilities but also the strategic value of this interconnection project uh but I think uh the most meaningful message is that we're joining forces around a European project of common interest and at the same time it is also accompanied by the signing of a strategic agreement between Admir TSI and Nexans uh and the three parties will work together from day one to accelerate uh the project's progress uh with of course priority being given to the completion of the seabed surveys at brings to this project I think a deep technical expertise uh deep electricity knowledge of electricity systems uh and a proven ability to deliver uh major energy interconnections interconnection between Athens and and CIT being you know one example of a very complex project which was recently completed and of course um you bring to the table international experience in similar projects uh and a long-term commitment to strategic uh infrastructure uh and by combining these complimentary strengths the two partners create a much stronger and much more credible platform for the construction and successful completion of the project. Uh and this transaction concerns of course the dedicated project company responsible for the development of the interconnection. I would like to point out that Admire remains a strategic shareholder uh and is a central partner to this project. Uh while >> [snorts] >> um your participation strengthens the capital base uh improves the allocation of risks and enhances the implementation capacity. It has been our intention uh over the past we've been exploring this possibility over the past months and we're very very happy that we've been able to strengthen the capital base uh of uh of the project. Now for us this is of course a both a strategic u project but also a project uh which is particularly important to the sort of energy structure and stability of the entire grid in our part of the world. uh it will help essentially end Cyprus's energy isolation uh and connect the uh country to the entire uh European electricity system. Uh and of course it can also uh facilitate the integration of more renewable energy uh and overall reinforce Europe's energy uh resilience. I'm very happy that Greece is has demonstrated once more that it can attract serious long-term international investors for projects of strategic importance. I think it is of particular value that we've been able to attract a one of the biggest if not the biggest European infrastructure investor investor and uh I think this is also the model uh we support um strong strategic participation international investment technical expertise and a clear allocation of responsibilities and and risks. So let me congratulate you know all the parties involved uh on the signing of this uh transaction and we're very much looking forward towards uh taking all the initiatives in order for the project to proceed as quickly as possible. So again welcome. >> Thank you prime minister the ministers uh very honored uh to be here today to really sign this partnership. This is uh for us a very strategic project for Europe. Um and and this is also following the uh uh strategic partnership that uh Greece has signed with France. And uh I must say that uh my president is a very big supporter of uh of this project. He calls me every day about it. So [laughter] uh and uh and we're very happy to bring uh of course our strength our our 25 billion uh fund under management but also our focus on long-term investment in infrastructure. We've uh participated in in most of the trans European networks uh whether electricity uh between the UK and Germany uh or also uh transport and others uh really responding to sort of long-term policy of uh basically building equipment for Europe to become more resilient. So very happy to be to be here with uh my colleagues from Nexon as well. uh and uh we're here to actually work and deliver. Thank you. >> Thank you very much uh Mr. Prime Minister and ministers. I uh from Nexon I also want to say that we are tremendously happy to see this this uh today the signature this project it it shows a very important step uh in the project. There will be steps to come. I think that we have to work all stakeholders together to make sure this project actually happens in reality. But we're very very happy because I think it's a it's a major step forward and very happy to look u to to be able to add value with our technology to Greece and wider Europe as part of team France really at the end of the day. >> Thank you and team absolutely thank you. I just want to to thank uh the government for supporting the very difficult effort on this project and I want to thank Meridian for the confidence that shows to Ipto as our prime minister said this is a European project and today with a new shareholding structure I think that uh we declare to everybody that this is a European project. This is going to go forward. It was the second most important project as USA for the line and said uh from the European Commission we are here to work work hard and deliver again good results as in the past altogether. Thank you very much. >> I just want to thank the companies the stakeholders for uh their professional uh engagement. Uh prime minister after president's macron visit here you gave uh the the direction and the guidance. We met uh with uh Terry and I think the companies managed in uh in record time to have this agreement and uh as everybody said this is the beginning this is a landmark beginning in order to proceed for the implementation of the project. So thank you signing A tribe agreements for seabed survey between IP, Marian and Nex. Fore You also signing of an agreement relating to the sale and purchase of shares from the independent power transmission operator. Meridian Sustainable Infrastructure Europe by Mr. Manus C and President of Meridian S. [applause] Very good.