site.btaGreece to Open Two Marine Parks, Turkiye Says Athens Politicizes Environmental Protection

Greece has unveiled plans to establish two large marine parks in the Aegean and Ionian Seas - announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as a landmark step for marine conservation. In a prompt reaction, Turkiye criticized the project and claimed the move lacks legal validity and serves geopolitical aims under the guise of environmental protection.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis declared on Monday that his government will follow through on its promise to create two marine parks - one in the Aegean Sea and another in the Ionian Sea, as part of a broader initiative to preserve Greece’s maritime heritage.

“I pledged to protect our unique marine environment, and today we fulfil that promise,” Mitsotakis said in a video message quoted by Kathimerini newspaper. “These parks will set new standards for the protection of marine areas.”

Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou later revealed that the combined area of the two parks will be nearly 27,500 square kilometres, surpassing earlier estimates. With their creation, Greece aims to protect 35% of its maritime territory—well ahead of the 2030 target set by international climate commitments.

The move is not welcomed in Ankara.

Turkiye’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs responded with a strongly worded statement, asserting that Greece’s decision has "no legal bearing" due to unresolved territorial disputes and relevant international treaties.

“Last year, when Greece first announced its intention, we made it clear that any marine parks in the Aegean would be legally void due to ongoing disputes and the framework of existing treaties,” the Turkish statement said. “Our position remains unchanged.”

Turkiye argues that unilateral actions in enclosed or semi-enclosed seas like the Aegean and the Eastern Mediterranean should be avoided, and that international maritime law calls for cooperation between coastal states.

“We remain open to working with Greece on environmental issues,” the ministry stated, while simultaneously warning against what it called “the exploitation of universal values such as environmental protection to advance narrow geopolitical agendas.”

The Turkish government also criticized Athens for what it views as attempts to alter the status of disputed islands and maritime features not explicitly granted to Greece under international agreements.

In a more conciliatory note, Turkiye announced it would soon unveil its own environmental and marine protection initiatives, emphasizing the need for a “comprehensive approach” to Aegean issues. based on international law, fairness, and the principles of the Greece-Turkiye Declaration of Friendship and Good Neighborliness.

While both countries are NATO members, their long-standing disputes over territorial waters, airspace, and sovereignty in the Aegean have fuelled tensions for decades. Environmental concerns, it seems, have now become the latest front in this complex rivalry.