The “government” of Eastern Libya threatens to carry out its own “surveys” in the area of the blocks south of Crete, in response to the Greek initiative to license these blocks, just days after Benghazi issued a statement accusing Greece of violating Libya’s sovereign rights.

These developments highlight the activity triggered in Libya by the Greek initiative and make immediate contact with both sides necessary, in order to explore intentions and, above all, point the way toward resuming talks — after nearly 15 years — for an agreement on the delimitation of maritime zones based on the Law of the Sea. Such an agreement would bind both sides until the political problem is resolved and an elected, democratically legitimate government emerges in the country. Osama Hamad is the “prime minister” appointed by the Parliament of the parallel government based in Benghazi, supported by General Haftar, but lacking international legitimacy.

Gerapetritis’s meetings difficult but necessary

Preparations at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs are almost complete for the visit of Giorgos Gerapetritis, likely on July 6, to Tripoli and Benghazi, where meetings are expected to be difficult but necessary.

Another serious issue has been added to the agenda: migration. As smuggling networks come under pressure in other maritime routes, they are redirecting flows toward Crete, creating a suffocating situation on the island and for the competent Greek authorities.

The “government” of Benghazi, considering that the two Greek blocks violate Libya’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the part controlled by Eastern Libya, hastened — on the occasion of the licensing tender — to position itself against Greece, following the example of the Dbeibah government in Tripoli.

Concern in Athens

This move caused concern given the relationships developed in 2019 with the strongmen of Eastern Libya, General Haftar and the Speaker of Parliament Aguila Saleh, who had rejected the Turkey-Libya Memorandum. It is telling that on Sunday, the Greek Consul General, A. Kalognomis, was summoned to the “Foreign Ministry” in Benghazi and handed a note of protest regarding the blocks.

However, O. Hamad, in statements on Sunday, returned to the issue, and after thanking Greece for the aid provided during the Derna disaster, expressed his opposition to the publication in the EU Official Journal on June 12 of the tender for licensing the two blocks south of Crete, claiming that part of the blocks falls within Libya’s EEZ.

The “prime minister” of Benghazi confirmed that the Turkey-Libya Memorandum has been referred to Parliament for ratification and warned that if there is no dialogue with Greece on the blocks, Libya will proceed to grant licenses for the same areas to companies specializing in hydrocarbon exploration.

The scenario of a joint move by Tripoli and Benghazi

Of course, the “government” of Benghazi does not have the capability to launch a tender. However, in the abnormal situation prevailing in Libya, no one can be certain that “willing” parties won’t be found to contribute to a de facto challenge of Greece’s sovereign rights.

Moreover, since Libya’s state oil company maintains contacts with Benghazi, the possibility of a joint move by Tripoli and Benghazi cannot be ruled out. In such a case, the third Memorandum signed by Dbeibah with Ankara, concerning an agreement for exploration in Libya’s maritime areas by Turkey’s state company TPAO, could also come into play.

O. Hamad also announced that, by decision 122/2025 of the Council of Ministers, a committee has been set up to review the delimitation of the borders in the Exclusive Economic Zone, ensuring Libya’s interests and respecting the principles of international law and good neighborliness, with a special mention of Egypt. The government of Tripoli had clashed a year ago with Cairo, disputing Egypt’s EEZ delimitation along the adjacent coasts of the two countries. Egypt’s delimitation essentially challenged the “extension” on the Libyan side of the illegal delimitation provided for in the Turkey-Libya Memorandum.