Cyprus parliament condemns Turkey-Libya memorandum and demands EU action

The Parliament of Cyprus approved a resolution on October 22, 2026, condemning the recent ratification of the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum by the Libyan House of Representatives. The resolution, which passed with 44 votes, labels the agreement as illegal and invalid, arguing that it violates the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and ignores the sovereign rights of Greece and other regional states. Lawmakers, supported by AKEL and DIKO, emphasized that the memorandum attempts to impose unilateral, revisionist claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Simultaneously, the President of the House of Representatives, Annita Demetriou, sent formal demarche letters to her counterparts in EU member states, Arab nations, and international parliamentary organizations, calling for collective pressure on Turkey to abandon its expansionist demands. Earlier in the week, Cypriot MEPs Loukas Fourlas, Costas Mavrides, and Geadis Geadi urged the European Union to move beyond mere statements of condemnation and implement tangible measures, including targeted sanctions against entities involved in activities violating sovereignty. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar also expressed concerns to his Cypriot counterpart, Constantinos Kombos, noting that the agreement undermines the interests of multiple nations in the region.