Türkiye declares new marine parks in Aegean amid tensions with Greece
Türkiye has declared two new national marine parks in the Aegean Sea, formalizing protected areas in the north and south of the sea amid continuing disputes with Greece over maritime rights.
Two presidential decrees published Sunday in the Official Gazette designated one marine park between Fethiye in Muğla province and Kaş in Antalya, and another in the North Aegean near the coasts of Tekirdağ and Çanakkale.
The move was presented by Ankara as an environmental measure to protect marine biodiversity, but marine parks have become a point of tension between Türkiye and Greece.
Greek plans raise concerns
Greece announced two marine parks last year in the Ionian Sea and around the southern Cyclades islands. Ankara criticized the move, arguing that some of the initiatives were political rather than purely environmental and could affect the status quo in the disputed Aegean.
Greek media have also reported plans for another marine park in the southern Aegean. The proposed measure is before Greece’s top administrative court and is expected to be finalized in October.
Maritime disputes remain unresolved
Türkiye and Greece have sought to improve relations following years of tensions, but disagreements over maritime boundaries, territorial waters and jurisdiction in the Aegean remain unresolved.
The two NATO members came close to conflict in the 1990s over competing claims in the sea and continue to closely monitor developments affecting their maritime interests.
Ankara has increasingly emphasized its “Blue Homeland” doctrine, which defines Türkiye’s maritime interests across the Aegean, Mediterranean and Black seas.
Blue Homeland strategy expands
Türkiye’s latest marine planning measures form part of a broader effort by Ankara to assert what it describes as its maritime rights while emphasizing the importance of international law and regional cooperation.
Turkish officials have argued that environmental protection measures in the Aegean should be transparent and coordinated, particularly because the sea is a semi-enclosed body of water where maritime boundaries remain disputed.
Türkiye is also preparing a proposed “Blue Homeland law” that is expected to be debated by Parliament when the new legislative term begins in October. The legislation is intended to establish a broader legal framework for the country’s maritime jurisdiction across the Black Sea, Aegean, Mediterranean and Marmara seas.
Source:DailySabah
