Through official statements and strategic leaks to state media, Ankara is escalating its counter-offensive – at least on a communication level – against the Greek initiative to establish two National Marine Parks in the Ionian and South Aegean (Southern Cyclades) with a total area of 27,500 km².

The Greek initiative was announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, who emphasized: “With these two parks, Greece will have some of the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean.”

The announcements in Athens sparked strong irritation in Ankara, with Turkish media foreshadowing Erdoğan’s government’s anger. In official statements, the Turkish Foreign Ministry repeated claims of “attempting to alter the status quo in the Aegean” and challenged Greek sovereignty over islands and islets.

Leaks from the Turkish government to Anadolu also suggest that Turkey does not intend to leave the Greek initiative unanswered and is now examining the establishment of its own marine areas. “The next step will be Turkey declaring its own marine parks,” the agency notes.

Athens is not expected to play into Ankara’s escalation strategy. Still, the Greek Foreign Ministry promptly responded to the Turkish statement, clarifying that the status of the Aegean is clear and that references to semi-enclosed seas are unfounded. Notably, Greece also extended an invitation to Turkey for dialogue on the delimitation of the continental shelf and EEZ “based on international law.”

Prime Minister’s Statement:

“The sea has always been Greece’s silent force. It is part of who we are — it shaped our civilization and history, feeds our people, and nurtures our spirit.

Last month, at the UN Ocean Conference on the Mediterranean coast of France, I made a promise — to honor this unique maritime heritage and protect it for generations to come.

Today, I fulfill that promise with the creation of two new National Marine Parks — one in the Ionian Sea and one in the Southern Cyclades, in the unique Aegean.

These parks will be among the largest marine protected areas in the entire Mediterranean.

They will help us achieve the goal of protecting 30% of our territorial waters by 2030 — much earlier than planned.

They will serve as vast sanctuaries of life beneath the waves.

They will also contribute to the preservation of ecosystems, the restoration of balance, and the establishment of a bold new standard for marine protection.

And perhaps most importantly, the highly destructive practice of bottom trawling will be banned in these marine zones.

If you’ve seen the excellent new documentary by Sir David Attenborough, “Ocean,” then you understand why creating these marine parks is so important.

“Ocean” is a deeply moving film, but also informative and inspiring. It reminded me, as I hope it reminds us all, that the sea is not just a beautiful landscape. It is life itself. Fragile. Powerful. And under threat.

Sir David’s film reinforced my commitment to do more in ocean stewardship — to redefine our relationship with the sea. Not as owners, but as guardians.

We will protect, yes. But also educate, collaborate, and lead.

In cooperation with local communities, fishermen, scientists, and international partners, we will make these parks examples of what is possible. By doing so, Greece can become a voice for the sea — in Europe, and beyond.

Because when we protect our ocean, we protect our future.”

Turkish Reaction

Reacting to Greece’s establishment of the two new National Marine Parks announced by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, the Turkish Foreign Ministry again challenged Greek sovereignty over islands and formations.

Calling the move a “unilateral action,” Ankara claims that the Marine Parks declared in the Aegean Sea “will have no legal consequences within the framework of the interconnected Aegean issues between the two countries, including geographic features whose ownership has not been transferred to Greece by international agreements.”

“The unilateral actions should be avoided in closed or semi-enclosed seas like the Aegean and the Mediterranean,” the Turkish Foreign Ministry stresses, stating that “Turkey will also announce projects aimed at environmental protection in marine areas in the coming days.”

Full Statement by the Turkish Foreign Ministry:

“On July 21, 2025, Greece declared two Marine Parks, one in the Aegean and one in the Ionian Sea. Immediately after this initiative was announced last year, our Ministry reiterated in its April 9, 2024, statement that the Marine Parks to be declared in the Aegean Sea will have no legal consequences within the framework of interconnected Aegean issues between the two countries, including geographic formations whose ownership has not been transferred to Greece by international agreements.

The points made in our statement remain valid today.

Unilateral actions should be avoided in closed or semi-enclosed seas such as the Aegean and Mediterranean. International maritime law encourages cooperation between coastal states in these seas, including on environmental issues.

In this context, we remind that Turkey, as a coastal state in the Aegean Sea, is always ready to cooperate with Greece.

On the other hand, we repeat that, as in the past, no outcome will result from efforts to exploit global values such as environmental protection within the framework of the interconnected issues of the Aegean and questions concerning the status of certain islands, islets, and rocks whose sovereignty has not been transferred to Greece by international agreements.

Turkey will also announce projects aimed at marine environmental protection in the coming days.

We would like to take this opportunity to emphasize that Turkey maintains the position that a sincere and comprehensive approach must be adopted to resolve these issues based on international law, equality, and good neighborliness, within the framework of the Athens Declaration on Friendly Relations and Good Neighborliness of December 7, 2023, which reflects the spirit that both parties seek to uphold in their relations with Greece.”

Athens’ Response

Athens responded immediately to Ankara’s attempt to raise sovereignty issues over Greek islands on the occasion of the declaration of two new marine parks in the central Aegean.

The statement from the Greek Foreign Ministry reads:

“The establishment of the National Marine Parks in the Ionian and Aegean Seas is being carried out purely on environmental grounds and in areas of Greek sovereignty.

References to closed or semi-enclosed seas are completely unfounded.

The legal status of the Aegean is clear. Greek sovereignty in this region is defined clearly and definitively by international legal texts.

Greece consistently supports dialogue with Turkey to resolve the one and only Greek-Turkish dispute — that of the delimitation of the continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone between the two countries — in accordance with international law.”

Leaks to Anadolu

“Turkey is expected to proceed with declaring its own marine parks, following Greece’s announcement that it plans to create two marine protected areas — one in the Ionian and one in the Aegean Sea,” reports Anadolu Agency just hours after Prime Minister Mitsotakis’ announcements.

Continuing Turkey’s effort to legitimize its challenges to clearly Greek areas of the Aegean, “competent sources” tell Anadolu that “the marine parks declared by Greece in the Ionian and the Aegean have no legal validity for Turkey, especially in light of the interconnected Aegean issues, such as disputed sovereignty over geographic features.”

“Attempt to Change the Status Quo in the Aegean”

The report states that “Turkey’s first study on marine spatial planning has already been published,” and according to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, Greece’s declaration of “marine spatial planning” is considered a provocation. It also notes that “Turkey’s Marine Spatial Planning Map has been internationally registered through the IOC-UNESCO platform.”

“Officials note that Greece’s move is considered an attempt to alter the status quo in the Aegean and stress the importance of not violating freedom of navigation and other Turkish rights, especially in semi-enclosed seas like the Aegean.”

“No Action Will Be Left Unanswered”

Continuing the provocative narrative of “gray zones,” the same sources told Anadolu that Turkey has not accepted, and will not accept, any fait accompli “in disputed geographical areas of the Aegean.”

The sources warn that “any action that could change the legal status of the Aegean or violate freedom of navigation and Turkey’s interests will not go unanswered.”

“Greece’s moves are being closely monitored by Ankara, while relevant agencies are considering possible protective measures in other Turkish marine areas, such as the Aegean, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, and the Sea of Marmara. According to information, developments may occur soon,” the report adds.

“Officials believe that the next step will be the declaration of Turkey’s own marine parks,” writes Anadolu.