Libya Accuses Greece of Violating Maritime Sovereignty
On Thursday, Libya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation voiced strong objection to Greece's recent decision to open an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration in areas of the Mediterranean Sea claimed by both countries.
In an official statement, the ministry expressed 'deep concern' over an announcement published in Issue No. 3335 of the European Journal on June 12, 2025, which detailed Greece's plans to issue exploration and drilling licenses in waters south of Crete.
Libya maintains that some of the maritime zones identified in the Greek tender fall within contested boundaries that remain unresolved between the two states. According to the ministry, the move represents a 'clear violation of Libya's sovereign rights' and is unacceptable in the absence of prior legal agreements between the two nations.
The statement emphasized that Libya is committed to resolving maritime disputes through dialogue and mutual respect, grounded in international law. It warned that unilateral actions such as Greece's could increase tension and complicate already sensitive regional dynamics.
'Libya has consistently advocated for the Mediterranean to be a space of cooperation, peace, and shared development among all neighboring countries,' the statement read. 'Unilateral decisions only deepen divisions and risk destabilizing the region.'
The ministry urged the Greek government to act responsibly and take into account the long-standing ties between the two countries. It called on Athens to prioritize constructive negotiations and legal frameworks as the only sustainable path toward a fair resolution.
This diplomatic protest comes amid ongoing friction over maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, where energy exploration has become a source of growing contention. Libya's 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey and Greece's separate arrangements with regional partners have further complicated the geopolitical landscape. Tags: DrillingGreecelibyaMediterranean SeaOil Exploration
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Libya Review
2 days ago
- Libya Review
Libya Accuses Greece of Violating Maritime Sovereignty
On Thursday, Libya's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation voiced strong objection to Greece's recent decision to open an international tender for hydrocarbon exploration in areas of the Mediterranean Sea claimed by both countries. In an official statement, the ministry expressed 'deep concern' over an announcement published in Issue No. 3335 of the European Journal on June 12, 2025, which detailed Greece's plans to issue exploration and drilling licenses in waters south of Crete. Libya maintains that some of the maritime zones identified in the Greek tender fall within contested boundaries that remain unresolved between the two states. According to the ministry, the move represents a 'clear violation of Libya's sovereign rights' and is unacceptable in the absence of prior legal agreements between the two nations. The statement emphasized that Libya is committed to resolving maritime disputes through dialogue and mutual respect, grounded in international law. It warned that unilateral actions such as Greece's could increase tension and complicate already sensitive regional dynamics. 'Libya has consistently advocated for the Mediterranean to be a space of cooperation, peace, and shared development among all neighboring countries,' the statement read. 'Unilateral decisions only deepen divisions and risk destabilizing the region.' The ministry urged the Greek government to act responsibly and take into account the long-standing ties between the two countries. It called on Athens to prioritize constructive negotiations and legal frameworks as the only sustainable path toward a fair resolution. This diplomatic protest comes amid ongoing friction over maritime claims in the Eastern Mediterranean, where energy exploration has become a source of growing contention. Libya's 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey and Greece's separate arrangements with regional partners have further complicated the geopolitical landscape. Tags: DrillingGreecelibyaMediterranean SeaOil Exploration
Libya Review
4 days ago
- Libya Review
Ageela Saleh Discusses Libya's Political Future with Greek Ambassador
On Monday, the Speaker of the Libyan House of Representatives, Ageela Saleh, met with Greek Ambassador to Libya Nikolaos Garilidis to discuss recent developments and potential solutions to the country's prolonged political crisis. The meeting was held in the city of Qubbah and included the presence of Greek Consul General Agapios Kalognomis and Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Abdelhadi Al-Hwaij, representing the eastern-based government. The talks focused on the path toward resolving Libya's institutional deadlock through the formation of a unified national government and holding presidential and parliamentary elections. According to Saleh's media office, the discussion emphasized the need for a single executive authority capable of overseeing the electoral process throughout the country. The meeting comes ahead of a planned visit to Libya by Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis at the end of June. According to Greek newspaper Kathimerini, Gerapetritis is expected to meet with Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbaiba in Tripoli, Speaker Ageela Saleh in the east, and the commander of the Libyan National Army (LNA), Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar. Athens is closely watching the shifting dynamics in eastern Libya, particularly regarding maritime agreements. Greece is concerned that the eastern authorities, led by Haftar and aligned with Saleh, may be open to negotiating a maritime border agreement with Turkey. The newspaper reported that Haftar appears more receptive to such talks as Turkey intensifies its outreach in the region. On June 2, Libya's House of Representatives formed a technical committee to examine the maritime agreement proposal submitted by the eastern-based government under Prime Minister Osama Hammad. The move comes amid growing coordination between eastern Libyan officials and Turkish authorities. In April, General Saddam Haftar, Chief of Staff of Libya's ground forces, traveled to Ankara and met with Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler. In May, Libyan National Army units took part in joint military exercises with Turkish forces, a development seen by Greece as a potential threat to its maritime interests. Tags: Greek AmbassadorlibyaParliament SpeakerPolitical TransitionTurkey
Libya Review
05-06-2025
- Libya Review
Greece Seeks Migration Deal with Eastern Libya to Halt Boat Departures
Greece is seeking to sign a migration agreement with Libyan authorities aimed at intercepting migrant boats departing from eastern Libya, as arrivals to Crete and Gavdos islands sharply increase, according to Info Migrants newspaper. The move mirrors the controversial 2017 Italy-Libya agreement to stem migrant flows across the Mediterranean. Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, Makis Voridis, revealed a 174% increase in irregular arrivals from Libya since the start of 2025. He expressed hopes of striking a deal with Libya to manage these flows, citing the pressing need to control rising landings on southern Greek islands. Local port authorities in Crete reported that nearly 3,000 migrants had arrived by mid-May, with over 500 rescued during 23–24 May alone. Many are Sudanese nationals fleeing war, according to Greek officials. However, German outlet Deutsche Welle noted that Voridis lacks a reliable Libyan partner to negotiate with. Eastern Libya, the origin of most boats, is beyond the control of Tripoli's internationally recognised government, which signed the 2017 agreement with Rome. Analysts also point to the absence of adequate funding to convince armed groups operating along the eastern coast to halt boat departures. Under the Italy-Libya pact, Rome provided funding and technical support to intercept migrant vessels. The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports that 21,762 migrants were intercepted by Libya's coastguard in 2024 and returned to Libya—higher than 2023's 17,190 figure. Rights groups warn of systemic abuse. NGOs and journalists have documented torture, forced detention, and sexual violence against returnees. In June 2024, German NGO Sea-Watch released a video showing Libyan coastguards beating migrants rescued by a commercial ship. The group denounced European complicity in 'systemic human rights violations.' Amnesty International also criticised Italy's continued support for Libya's coastguard under its 2025 decree. Spokesperson Anneliese Baldaccini told the Italian parliament that the UN considers Libya unsafe for returned migrants and noted that a UN fact-finding mission found 'reasonable grounds to believe crimes against humanity are being committed.' Tags: CreteGreeceImmigrationlibyaMediterraneanmigrants
