Libya’s eastern‑based House of Representatives voted on 20 October to ratify the 2019 maritime jurisdiction memorandum signed with Turkey, ending a stalemate that has lingered since the deal was first concluded in Ankara. The unanimous approval—reported by multiple outlets including Bloomberg and Al Jazeera—has been met with sharp condemnation from Greece, the European Union and Cyprus, which argue that the pact infringes on their sovereign rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Background and domestic significance
The 2019 memorandum, signed by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and the then‑recognised Government of National Accord (GNA) in Tripoli, delineated an exclusive economic zone (EEZ) for Turkey that runs parallel to the southern coast of Greece’s islands, notably Crete and Rhodes. The arrangement was intended to facilitate joint hydrocarbon exploration and to cement Turkey’s strategic foothold in a region rich in offshore gas deposits.
Political fragmentation in Libya prevented the agreement from being ratified for years. The House of Representatives, based in the city of Tobruk and aligned with General Khalifa Haftar’s forces, initially opposed the pact. Over the past months, however, the body reversed its stance, repealing earlier decisions that blocked relations with Ankara and lifting a 2020 boycott of Turkish cooperation, according to Informat.ro and Devdiscourse.
In Turkey, the ratification has become a top domestic story, bolstering President Erdoğan’s narrative of restoring national prestige abroad ahead of upcoming elections. Supporters in the Turkish parliament hailed the development as a diplomatic victory that secures energy interests and counters what they describe as “Greek‑Cypriot encirclement.”
Regional reactions and implications
Greek officials dismissed the Libyan decision as “illegal and invalid,” with the Hellenic Ministry of Foreign Affairs stating that the agreement contravenes international law and existing bilateral treaties, as reported by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Hellenic Republic. Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis warned that the ratification “undermines the stability of the region,” while former Prime Minister Antonis Samaras publicly attacked Mitsotakis for “allowing the erosion of Greece’s maritime rights,” according to eKathimerini.com.
The European Union echoed Greek concerns, describing the move as “unacceptable” and calling on Turkey to respect the legal framework governing the Eastern Mediterranean. The EU’s statement, cited by The Greek Herald, stressed that any unilateral redrawing of maritime boundaries threatens the bloc’s energy diversification strategy.
Cyprus, which claims the island of Kastellorizo (Meis) as part of its EEZ, declared the agreement “illegal” and warned of “serious repercussions” for Turkish‑Cypriot interests, as reported by the Cyprus Mail. The Turkish‑Cypriot administration, however, has refrained from issuing an official comment.
"The House of Representatives approved the memorandum unanimously," the Libyan parliament’s spokesperson said, a phrasing echoed across outlets from NewsCord to MyMotherLode.com.
Analysts note that the ratification could revive disputes over offshore gas fields such as Zohr, Aghula and the recently discovered Kukri‑3, where Turkish and Greek vessels have already faced off. International law experts argue that the overlapping claims will likely be taken to the International Court of Justice or the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) for resolution, though Turkey is not a party to UNCLOS.
Libya’s eastern parliament, led by Speaker Saleh al‑Mikaili, framed the vote as a step toward “national sovereignty” and “economic development,” emphasizing that the agreement opens avenues for foreign investment in Libyan waters. The decision also signals a shift in Haftar‑aligned forces toward a more pragmatic foreign policy, according to Demócrata.
With the memorandum now officially endorsed by one of Libya’s two rival legislatures, diplomatic channels are expected to intensify. Greece has signalled readiness to pursue legal action, while Turkey has pledged to protect its “legitimate interests” in the sea. The coming weeks will likely see heightened diplomatic activity at the United Nations and renewed calls for a multilateral framework to manage Eastern Mediterranean energy resources.
