Türkiye's ruling and opposition parties defended a maritime boundary agreement with Libya on Wednesday, rejecting criticism from Greece and the European Union after Libya's Parliament unanimously ratified the 2019 deal.

Ruling Justice and Development Party (AK Party) spokesperson Ömer Çelik described the Libyan House of Representatives' approval as confirmation of Türkiye's historical and legal position in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"The Libyan House of Representatives' ratification of the Maritime Jurisdiction Agreement signed with Türkiye is a recognition of our historical and legal legitimacy," Çelik said in a statement on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.

He maintained that the agreement rests on solid legal foundations and protects the rights of both countries, dismissing opposing claims as attempts to disregard regional realities and international legal principles.

"Under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, we will vigorously defend our rights in the Blue Homeland and the rights of the brotherly Libyan people," Çelik noted, referring to Türkiye's maritime sovereignty doctrine.

The spokesperson added that attempts to disregard Turkish and Libyan interests in the Eastern Mediterranean would fail, emphasizing that the region's future should be shaped by fairness and cooperation rather than unilateral demands.

"As our Foreign Ministry has also stated, the agreement has been in force since 2019 and was already registered with the United Nations, giving it international recognition. However, until now, the main argument put forward by Greece and other opponents of the agreement was that it had not been ratified by the Libyan Parliament,” Ufuk Necat Taşçı, assistant professor of International Relations at Çanakkale Onsekiz Mart University told Daily Sabah.

Libya's House of Representatives unanimously approved the maritime boundary agreement on Tuesday, marking a significant development in the long-running dispute over maritime jurisdiction in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Originally signed in November 2019 between Türkiye and Libya's former U.N.-recognized Government of National Accord (GNA), the memorandum establishes maritime boundaries between the two Mediterranean countries.

"Therefore, the ratification is particularly significant as it puts an end to this debate and demonstrates that, despite Libya’s internal political divisions, there is broad consensus on the agreement. It also shows that the deal has gained support across Libya’s domestic political landscape,” Taşçı added.

Ankara maintains that the agreement safeguards both countries' sovereign rights and counters what it considers excessive maritime claims by Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration.

Athens, however, rejects the agreement, arguing that it disregards the maritime rights of Greek islands and violates international maritime law.

"The reactions from the European Union, Greece and other actors carry little significance from a legal standpoint, as international law recognizes agreements concluded between sovereign states,” he said, stressing that the agreement had already been registered with the U.N., and it now enjoys broad support across Libya’s political and military leadership, including the parliament, the western-based government and military forces in both eastern and western Libya.

Following the Libyan Parliament's decision, the Greek Foreign Ministry reiterated its rejection of the memorandum, insisting that parliamentary approval does not alter the legal status of maritime boundaries.

"Geography and international maritime law cannot be changed by unilateral parliamentary decisions lacking legal foundation," the ministry said.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen also criticized the ratification, expressing solidarity with Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration while reaffirming the EU's position on Libya.

The expert argued that Türkiye and Libya had exercised their sovereign rights in concluding the agreement, leaving no legal grounds for third-party interference.

"These objections are essentially political rather than legal. They amount to little more than the usual reactions of actors who have sought to use Greece as a counterweight to Türkiye."

Despite domestic political differences, opposition New Party (YP) Chairperson Özgür Özel joined the government in defending the agreement, criticizing von der Leyen's remarks on Wednesday.

"We reject European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's statements targeting the maritime jurisdiction agreement between Türkiye and Libya," Özel said on social media.

He stressed that Türkiye and Libya are sovereign states entitled to conclude agreements protecting their mutual interests.

"Türkiye's rights and interests are above all our domestic political differences," Özel underlined. He urged the EU to support dialogue and equitable solutions rather than deepen regional tensions.

Taşçı also argued that the deal could set a precedent for protecting the maritime rights of other coastal states in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"It could pave the way for future agreements with Lebanon, Syria and other regional actors, establishing a framework for equitable maritime arrangements that safeguard the rights and interests of coastal countries,” he said.

Moreover, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls Tuesday with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah and Libyan National Army (LNA) Deputy Commander Gen. Saddam Haftar, thanking them for Libya's parliamentary approval of a landmark maritime boundary agreement with Türkiye.

During the conversations, Fidan expressed appreciation for the Libyan Parliament's decision, which Ankara considers an important step toward safeguarding both countries' maritime rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean, ministry sources stated.

Separately, National Intelligence Organization (MIT) Director Ibrahim Kalın also met with Dbeibah in Tripoli to discuss Libya's political and military reunification, security cooperation and efforts to preserve the country's territorial integrity.

Dbeibah, meanwhile, expressed gratitude for Türkiye's contributions to Libya's security and said his government was prepared to continue working closely with Ankara to safeguard the country's territorial unity.

Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) Chairperson Devlet Bahçeli also welcomed Wednesday the approval of the maritime boundary agreement, describing the move as a significant step that reinforces Ankara's rights and interests in the Eastern Mediterranean.

"From a Türkiye that once sought ways to reach Tripoli to a Türkiye that today defends its rights and interests in the Mediterranean, charts its own course and shapes its own future. ... History has changed, circumstances have changed, and Türkiye has grown stronger,” Bahçeli said in a written statement.

Bahçeli underlined that Türkiye's "Blue Homeland" doctrine continues to advance on a legal basis through determined steps grounded in legitimate rights and interests under international law.

He recalled the difficulties faced by the Ottoman Empire in defending Tripoli in 1911, contrasting those challenges with Türkiye's current naval capabilities and its determination to protect its national interests through both military presence and diplomacy.

Bahçeli described the country's transformation from Tripoli to the "Blue Homeland" as evidence of its expanding strategic vision, diplomatic influence and national resolve.

Taşçı further said the agreement represents a significant diplomatic achievement for Türkiye and emphasized Ankara's growing role as a stabilizing force in the Eastern Mediterranean, citing its extensive coastline, strong naval capabilities and military presence across the region, from Libya to Syria.

"I believe the latest development has effectively deprived Türkiye’s opponents of their remaining arguments against the agreement and brought the long-standing dispute over its ratification to a definitive close,” the expert concluded.