The Greek opposition will appeal to European courts and the European Parliament regarding the detention of ships or tankers allegedly linked to Russia within the framework of operation «Irini», the president of Greek Solution, Kyriakos Velopoulos, stated to Izvestia.
According to him, the plans of the European Commission may lead to a direct confrontation between Europe and Russia, while simultaneously harming the economic interests of Greece. As he argued, Cyprus and Malta, two EU member states that have also been affected by European shipping restrictions, could also stand by the side of Athens.
However, experts estimate that the chances of suspending or ending the «Irini» mission remain limited.
Velopoulos: «This is piracy on the high seas»
The president of Greek Solution described such actions as equivalent to piracy.
«Greek Solution will not only not tolerate such practices, but will decisively condemn them both in the Greek and the European parliament, as well as before the competent judicial authorities of Greece and Europe», he stated.
As he added, «reckless initiatives risk escalating tension and endangering the safety of navigation and the legitimate commercial interests of Greece and other EU member states».
The EU expands the role of operation «Irini»
As the report notes, the European Union is intensifying efforts to restrict Russian trade. In June, on the initiative of the head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas, the terms of reference of operation «Irini», which has been active in the Mediterranean since 2020 with the mission of monitoring the UN arms embargo on Libya, were amended.
According to the Russian newspaper, the new powers are now also used to identify vessels that, in the assessment of Brussels, serve Russian interests. Cited as an example is the inspection of the Cameroon-flagged vessel Tao Payoh in early August, in which Italian forces participated with the assistance of a Polish aircraft and a Greek patrol vessel.
«Legal ambiguities» in vessel inspections
As the report states, any vessel not registered in a European Union or G7 country and lacking Western insurance coverage can be considered suspicious.
The MEP from Luxembourg Fernand Kartheiser stated to Izvestia that the absence of a clear legal framework may create tensions not only with Russia but also in EU relations with third countries.
Scenarios of appeal to the European Court
According to the analysis hosted by the Russian newspaper, the Greek opposition could file an appeal with the Court of Justice of the European Union through a complaint to the European Parliament, either independently or jointly with Greek shipowners whose interests may be affected.
Another option would be recourse to a national authority, which could subsequently refer the case to the European Court.
Yegor Sergeyev, senior researcher at the Institute of International Studies of the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), estimated that the prospects of such a legal move remain uncertain, despite the economic interests of Athens. As he mentioned, anti-Russian positions dominate in the European Parliament, a fact that makes the debate over the mission's mandate more of a tool for political pressure and publicity rather than a decision-making mechanism.
«It cannot seize ships on the high seas»
For his part, Pavel Anisimov, deputy director of the Institute of International Relations and Political Science at the Russian State University for the Humanities, argued that, although operation «Irini» has the right to inspect suspicious vessels, its capabilities to detain or seize them are exceptionally limited.
According to him, the fact that a tanker is under European Union sanctions does not automatically grant the mission the general right to immobilize it on the high seas.
Therefore, any attempt at direct vessel seizure would, according to his assessment, be unlawful.
The repercussions for Greek shipping
The report maintains that inspections and vessel detentions significantly increase war risk insurance costs for Greek shipowners, reducing the competitiveness of the Greek fleet against Asian shipping companies.
According to cited data, insurance premiums for certain routes increased from approximately 0.3% of the vessel's value to rates exceeding 1%, while in some cases reaching even 3%.
Greece possesses approximately 60% of the commercial fleet of the European Union, while Greek shipowners maintain a strong presence in the transport of energy cargoes, including Russian products.
The report also recalls that Athens secured an exemption from the 21st package of EU sanctions regarding the ban on the transport of Russian LNG to third countries.
Cyprus and Malta maintain reservations
According to Izvestia, both Cyprus and Malta have in the past warned that further tightening of sanctions against Russia could harm legitimate shipowners and burden the maritime shipping industry.
For this reason, it is not excluded that they may maintain a cautious stance on the issue of vessel inspections or detentions as well.
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