Turkey moves to let Erdoğan proclaim 200‑nm EEZ in Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean

Turkey’s ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) is drafting legislation that would empower President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to unilaterally declare an Exclusive Economic Zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from Turkish coasts. The proposed law would grant Turkey rights to fisheries, hydrocarbon extraction and the creation of marine parks in areas that include disputed waters of the Aegean Sea and the Eastern Mediterranean.

The initiative is aimed at countering Greece’s and Cyprus’s maritime claims and reinforces Ankara’s position that islands do not generate full EEZs. The draft is expected to be submitted to parliament by June. Bloomberg cites Turkish sources for the details. The United States has urged dialogue between Athens and Ankara, while the European Union has previously warned of sanctions over Turkish drilling activities in contested zones.

If enacted, the law would give Turkey legal backing for its expansive maritime assertions, intensifying regional tensions over energy resources and maritime boundaries.