Ankara is conducting what amounts to readiness drills ahead of the issuance of a NAVTEX for the resumption of surveys for the Cyprus–Crete electricity interconnector. In a notice issued this morning, Turkey declared the Heraklion station not competent to issue it and unilaterally reissued a notice for the multinational exercise “EUNOMIA” in an area south of Kastellorizo.

Late yesterday, the Heraklion station had issued a NAVTEX for the multinational live-fire exercise “EUNOMIA”, scheduled for 19 October in an area south of Kastellorizo. The research vessel Abeille Marengo is also expected to pass through the area once the procedures have been completed and the relevant NAVTEX issued.

The area designated for the EUNOMIA 2026 exercise

Today, Turkey, through its Antalya station, declared that the area falls within its jurisdiction and reissued the NAVTEX for the exercise, using the coordinates that had already been announced.

The NAVTEX issued by Turkey

In doing so, Turkey seeks to reiterate and promote its claim to have authority to issue NAVTEX notices throughout the entire area corresponding to its “Blue Homeland” doctrine. At the same time, it is sending an indirect message that any activity in the area, whether an exercise or a survey, will require the relevant NAVTEX to be issued by Turkey itself.

The Greek NAVTEX:

SOUTH-EASTERN CRETAN SEA
MULTINATIONAL EXERCISE EUNOMIA
FROM 190400 UTC TO 191000 UTC OCT 26
MULTINATIONAL LIVE-FIRE EXERCISE EUNOMIA

IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:
34-49.00N 029-00.00E
34-49.00N 029-20.00E
34-30.00N 029-20.00E
34-30.00N 029-00.00E

AND FROM 191200 UTC TO 191600 UTC OCT 26
MULTINATIONAL AIR-NAVAL EXERCISE EUNOMIA
IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING POSITIONS:
35-09.00N 027-43.00E
35-03.00N 029-53.00E
34-11.00N 029-53.00E
34-11.00N 027-43.00E

CAUTION ADVISED
CANCEL MESSAGE AT 191700 UTC OCT 26
NNNN