Turkey announces maritime parks in Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean

On August 15, 2026, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan signed two presidential decrees establishing "national marine parks" in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean. One zone is located in the Northern Aegean between the islands of Lemnos and Samothrace, while the second area covers a large expanse between Fethiye and Kas, effectively surrounding the island of Kastellorizo. Ankara claims these measures are intended for environmental protection and biodiversity conservation, though reports suggest they are a response to Greek maritime park initiatives.

The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly rejected these actions, stating that the unilateral declaration of marine parks beyond Turkish territorial waters has no legal effect. Athens emphasized that these zones overlap with Greek sovereign rights and non-delimited continental shelf areas. The ministry characterized the move as illegal under the Law of the Sea, asserting that no state has the right to establish protected maritime zones outside its national jurisdiction. As of now, Greece maintains that these Turkish decrees do not generate any binding legal outcomes.