Turkey Establishes Marine Parks in Disputed Aegean Waters

The Government of Turkey designated two new marine parks in the Aegean Sea and eastern Mediterranean, including waters surrounding Kastellorizo and areas between the Greek islands of Lemnos and Samothrace. The Greek Foreign Ministry declared the move illegal, stating the parks lack legal validity because they lie outside Turkish territorial waters. Greece views the designations as an application of Turkey's Blue Homeland doctrine, which claims exclusive economic zones belonging to Greece and Cyprus.

This diplomatic clash ends a period of relative stability that followed Greek assistance to Turkey after the February 2023 earthquake. In response to the escalation, Greece is increasing investment in military hardware and developing the Achilles Shield, an air defense system modeled after Israel's Iron Dome, which is expected to be operational by 2029.

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has maintained a conciliatory tone but affirmed that Greece is prepared to defend its sovereign territory. The move signals a hardening of maritime boundary disputes in a region where both nations claim overlapping rights.