ENERGY

Environment and Energy Minister Kostis Chatzidakis has departed for Sofia to sign an agreement about the Gas Interconnector Greece-Bulgaria (IGB) with his Bulgarian counterpart, Temenuzhka Petkova, on Thursday. Following the signing of the bilateral IGB agreement, the delegations of the two countries will attend a working luncheon.

The contracts for hydrocarbon exploration in four areas off Crete and Ionian islands were tabled in the Greek parliament on Wednesday evening for ratification.

Greece is one of five European Union countries - along with Poland, the United Kingdom, Germany and Slovenia - that is planning to introduce new subsidies for fossil fuels despite scientists' warnings that the world needs to transition to a zero-carbon economy by 2050.