Following Greece's initiative to establish National Marine Parks in the Ionian and Aegean Seas, within areas under Greek sovereignty, Türkiye announced today the designation of two marine protected areas, including in international waters of the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean.
The announcement of the so-called "marine parks" in undelimited areas beyond Turkish territorial waters constitutes an unacceptable, unilateral, and illegal act that produces no legal effect against Greece’s sovereign rights and demonstrates a complete lack of respect for the International Law of the Sea.
The Greek government consistently and resolutely safeguards the rights of our country and the sustainability of our seas. It also reminds that reactive moves devoid of substance jeopardize the good neighborly relations between the two countries.
August 2, 2025