Greece considers new marine parks and territorial waters expansion in response to Turkey's Blue Homeland bill
Greece is reportedly considering declaring new marine parks in the Aegean Sea and expanding its territorial waters south of Crete in response to Turkey's "Blue Homeland" draft bill unveiled in early May, according to Turkish and Greek media reports. The Greek government has not confirmed the reports, but Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis was recently quoted as saying Athens would "absolutely utilize legal tools of response if Ankara takes this matter to new extremes." The move risks escalating long-standing maritime disputes between the two NATO members, which came close to war in the 1990s over Aegean Sea rights.
Greece is reportedly considering declaring new marine parks in the Aegean Sea and expanding its territorial waters south of Crete island in response to Turkey's "Blue Homeland" draft bill, according to Turkish and Greek media reports.
The Greek government has not confirmed the reports, but Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis was recently quoted as saying Athens would "absolutely utilize legal tools of response if Ankara takes this matter to new extremes."
Turkey's "Blue Homeland" draft bill was unveiled on May 12 at a press conference organized by Ankara University's National Center for the Sea and Maritime Law (DEHUKAM). Professor Çağrı Erhan, acting chair of the Turkish Presidency's Board of Security and Foreign Policies, told the press conference that the draft bill was not specifically aimed at any country. "We are talking about a text based on the rights and interests of the Turkish nation. Other countries may believe that the world belongs to them only. We do not heed what they are worried about," he said.
"Blue Homeland" is a doctrine conceived by two former Turkish naval officers encompassing Turkey's maritime jurisdiction, exclusive economic zone, and continental shelf. Hüseyin Fazla, founder and director of STRASAM and a retired air force brigadier general, said the draft bill brought a fresh point of view to "a mechanism where Türkiye strived to maintain control over its maritime jurisdiction through various laws and regulations."
Greece last year announced two marine parks in the Ionian Sea and southern Cyclades islands. Turkey argued that the declaration of marine parks near the islands was political and an attempt to change the status quo in the disputed sea. Greek media outlets reported that new marine parks could be declared near the Dodecanese islands, known in Turkey as "On Iki Ada" (Twelve Islands). The Dodecanese islands were Ottoman domain until the early 20th century, then ceded to Italy, and later to Greece after World War II.
The move risks escalating long-standing maritime disputes between the two NATO members, which came close to an all-out war in the 1990s over the Aegean Sea.