Tensions rise over Great Sea Interconnector as Turkey demands consultation

The Greece-Cyprus-Israel electricity interconnector, known as the Great Sea Interconnector (GSI), is facing renewed geopolitical friction as Turkey demands prior approval for the project. Turkish officials, including the director of the Centre for Maritime Law Research (DEHUKAM), Mustafa Başkara, assert that the planned cable route crosses areas Turkey claims as part of its continental shelf. Ankara bases these claims on the 2019 maritime agreement with Libya, a 2011 pact with the Turkish Cypriot administration, and coordinates submitted to the United Nations in 2020.

For Cyprus, the interconnector is a vital project intended to end its energy isolation and strengthen trilateral strategic ties with Greece and Israel. However, the project has become a focal point of Ankara’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine, with Turkish leadership accusing Greece of pursuing maximalist maritime claims. Experts warn that the region is entering a period of high pressure, particularly with subsea surveys scheduled to resume at the end of October. While these surveys are a critical test for the project's viability, observers note that further delays in the implementation phase remain a distinct possibility due to these ongoing diplomatic and legal disputes.