Eastern Libya Parliament Ratifies Turkish Sea Corridor
The unanimous vote creates a direct maritime link between the two nations and complicates the planned EastMed pipeline route.
By Malik Salazar ·
Libya’s eastern parliament voted unanimously on Tuesday to approve a maritime agreement with Turkey. The deal establishes a direct economic corridor connecting Turkey’s southern coast with Libya’s northern coast. This move reverses the eastern government’s previous opposition to the pact.
The corridor was originally agreed upon in 2019 between Turkey and the UN-recognized Government of National Accord in western Libya. At that time, the rival administration in the east rejected the terms. Turkish Foreign Ministry officials welcomed the recent vote, signaling a shift in the political alignment of the region.
Recent geological surveys have identified large oil and gas deposits in the waters between the two countries. Estimates suggest natural gas reserves under the seabed could be worth several hundred billion US dollars. Ankara and Tripoli intend to secure their economic rights to these resources and exploit them jointly.
Greece has announced its opposition to the new route. The country claims a comprehensive exclusive economic zone around its islands, including Crete, Karpathos, and Rhodes. Athens argues that the corridor ignores these territories. The Greek Foreign Ministry stated on X that it firmly rejects the accord with the backing of the European Union.
EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas criticized the vote. She wrote on X that the agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states. The European Union has called the memorandum null and void because it is inconsistent with the Law of the Sea and violates the rights of other nations.
The legal dispute centers on the interpretation of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Greece relies on Article 121, which grants inhabited islands the same economic zone rights as mainland territory. Turkey argues that Mediterranean geography requires special consideration to prevent small islands from cutting off larger coastlines from the open sea. Ankara has not signed the convention and does not accept arbitration by a UN tribunal.
Political dynamics in Libya have changed since 2019. Turkey has built a closer relationship with the eastern camp after military intervention supported the western government. Turkish firms have won reconstruction contracts worth billions, and the state oil company TPAO is conducting seismic surveys with Libya’s National Oil Corporation. The new corridor also intersects the planned EastMed pipeline route, which was designed to carry gas from Israel and Cyprus to the EU.
