A top Presidential official has sharply criticized Greece’s unilateral declaration of two marine parks in the Aegean and Ionian Seas, warning that the move could escalate regional tensions and jeopardize Türkiye’s maritime rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Presidency Special Advisor for International Relations and Diplomacy Prof. Dr. Hüseyin Işıksal told Anadolu Agency that Greece’s 21 July 2025 decision to designate marine parks is an attempt to nullify the 2019 Türkiye-Libya Maritime Jurisdiction Agreement, which was officially registered with the United Nations in October 2020.
Calling the move a “seizure of Türkiye’s maritime jurisdiction,” Işıksal warned that the ultimate aim is to sideline Türkiye from regional geopolitics and limit its access to international waters. He noted that Greece’s ambitions could reduce Türkiye’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) by nearly 80%, amounting to a loss of approximately 104,000 square kilometers of maritime area.
Işıksal criticized Greece’s policy as expansionist, arguing that it relies on island territories to impose control over the Eastern Mediterranean and disregards international law in the process.
He also underlined that Greece’s persistent maximalist claims and obsession with regional dominance would continue to fuel political tensions.
He concluded that the exploitation of sovereignty rights under the guise of environmental protection risks igniting “hot moments” in the Aegean, warning that unless Greece changes its approach, peace in the region will remain elusive.
