Athens lodges protest with Ankara over maritime parks

Greece lodged an official protest on Thursday, September 3, 2026, with Turkey, through its embassy in Ankara, objecting to the designation of two Turkish “national” maritime parks in areas that Athens considers part of the Greek continental shelf. The protest also concerns the broader Turkish spatial planning scheme for maritime space, which the Greek side has been monitoring for some time. According to three independent publications on the same day, Greek diplomatic sources presented this move as a response to recent Turkish statements regarding the demilitarization of the islands of the eastern Aegean, as well as regarding the doctrine of “Blue Homeland,” which Ankara invokes systematically in recent years. The Greek side emphasizes that these developments come at a time of increased diplomatic activity in the region.

The Greek Foreign Ministry conveyed, through its sources, that it considers Turkish claims arbitrary and without legal basis, arguing that sovereignty and sovereign rights in the Aegean are determined exclusively by international treaties. Deputy Foreign Minister Tasos Chatzivasileios took a public stance on the matter, stating that “we do not accept games at the expense of national interests.” He added that Athens is closely monitoring developments in the neighboring country, sending a message that the Greek side does not intend to leave Turkish moves regarding Aegean maritime space unanswered.

The Turkish side, according to what has been recorded by the three publications, maintains that the specific maritime areas fall within its own jurisdiction and includes this planning within the framework of the “Blue Homeland” doctrine. Ankara does not recognize, according to this position, what Athens maintains regarding the Greek continental shelf in the specific areas. The Greek reactions on Thursday also came as a response to Turkish statements on the demilitarization of the islands of the eastern Aegean, an issue on which Athens fundamentally disagrees with Ankara, invoking international treaties that the Greek side considers binding for the status of the islands. The two sides, as emerges from the publications of Thursday, continue to maintain conflicting interpretations both regarding the status of maritime space and regarding the obligations arising from international treaties.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis stated that Greece is a peaceful country that does not threaten anyone and will not accept suggestions from anyone on how it strengthens its defense, linking respect for international law with Turkey’s European course. These statements were made on the same day that European Council President Antonio Costa met with Mitsotakis at Maximos Palace, where, according to the publications, Greek-Turkish developments were discussed in parallel with European issues. The coincidence of the meeting with Antonio Costa strengthened, according to the same publications, the connection the Greek government sought to establish between Turkey’s European course and respect for international law in the Aegean. In recent months, the government has also made other moves to strengthen the country’s defensive and diplomatic position, such as the “Shield of Achilles” agreement with Israel.