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Turkey Blue Homeland maritime doctrine legislation

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2026-10-27 08:44 UTC → 2026-10-28 17:04 UTC · added ~~removed~~

The ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey is drafting legislation to codify the ‘Blue Homeland’ (Mavi Vatan) doctrine into domestic law. The proposed legal framework aims to establish Turkey’s maritime jurisdiction, specifically focusing on the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean seas. Key provisions of the draft include setting territorial waters at six nautical miles in the Aegean and twelve nautical miles in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The legislation seeks to mandate prior authorization from Ankara for all economic, scientific, and environmental activities within Turkey’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), including activities involving the seabed and subsoil. The bill also addresses the legal definition of islets and rocks within ‘grey zones,’ a move that impacts Aegean maritime boundaries and Greek sovereignty. ~~The draft~~ Proponents of the doctrine, such as retired Vice Admiral Cihat Yaycı, assert that 152 island groups, consisting of 176 islets and rocks in the Aegean, were not ceded to Greece under international treaties. This legislative effort, drafted with input from the Ministry of Defense and diplomatic staff, is expected to be finalized in November and submitted to the Turkish Grand National Assembly before the end of 2026.

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