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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Moreover, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held separate phone calls Tuesday with Libyan Prime Minister Abdul Hamid 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.
