Turkey advances 101 km gas pipeline to occupied Cyprus

The planned subsea natural gas pipeline connecting Turkey with the occupied areas of the Republic of Cyprus is a project whose significance extends well beyond energy. It directly affects the Cyprus issue, the balance of power in the Eastern Mediterranean, Turkey-EU relations and the competition over energy corridors. The signing of a memorandum of understanding in 2026 between Turkey and the so-called Turkish Cypriot administration prompted a strong reaction from the Republic of Cyprus, which argues that developing strategic energy infrastructure in the occupied areas without its consent violates its sovereignty and sovereign rights under international law.

The pipeline is expected to run from the Anamur area on Turkey’s southern coast to the Teknecik power station in the occupied Kyrenia district, which currently operates mainly on liquid fuels. The choice of Teknecik would allow the largest electricity generation station in the occupied areas to receive a direct natural gas supply.

Double pipeline and bidirectional operation

One of the project’s key technical features is the use of two parallel 22-inch pipelines designed to allow natural gas to flow in both directions.

This means the pipelines will initially be able to transport natural gas from Turkey to the occupied areas. In the future, they could also operate in reverse, carrying natural gas from Cyprus or, more generally, from the Eastern Mediterranean to Turkey and potentially to European markets, provided the necessary political and commercial conditions are in place.

A memorandum of agreement between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side for the development of the project was signed on July 10. About four months earlier, the European Network of Transmission System Operators for Electricity (ENTSO-E) had rejected the Turkish plan for an electricity interconnection with the occupied areas. In its April 10 announcement, ENTSO-E made clear that it would not consider including any project in its ten-year development program if it was developed without the consent of the Cypriot transmission system operator, the only operator recognized in the Republic of Cyprus under European law. It also pointed out that the only electricity interconnection project involving the Republic of Cyprus included in European planning is the Greece-Cyprus-Israel interconnection (GSI).

Following that decision, Ankara is seeking to accelerate the interconnection through a natural gas pipeline. The project is not subject to the same institutional review by a European body and, under the Turkish approach, can proceed as a bilateral energy infrastructure project between Turkey and the Turkish Cypriot side.

According to the Turkish Ministry of Energy and Natural Resources, the natural gas pipeline will have a total length of approximately 101 km. Ankara appears to be incorporating the project into a larger energy plan for the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkish reports say that, at a later stage, the pipeline could become part of a natural gas transport corridor from the Eastern Mediterranean to Turkey and, through Turkey, to the European market.

Turkish actions have prompted a strong reaction from Nicosia, which argues that developing energy projects without the consent of the Republic of Cyprus violates its sovereign rights. Athens takes a similar position and is closely monitoring developments. According to information, Greece is expected to seek EU intervention. An initial appeal to EU High Representative Kaja Kallas also came from Greece, where PASOK MEP Giannis Maniatis raised the issue of protecting the sovereign rights of the Republic of Cyprus and called for targeted sanctions.

Consolidation of the Turkish presence

The pipeline is part of Ankara’s long-term strategy to gradually integrate the occupied areas economically and administratively. This follows the subsea water transfer pipeline completed in 2015, as well as plans for electricity interconnection and telecommunications infrastructure. A natural gas pipeline would add another critical form of energy dependence on Turkey.

Turkey would therefore gain greater control over the energy security of the occupied areas, further economic integration and the ability to establish facts on the ground that could make any future political settlement of the Cyprus issue more difficult.

The Cyprus issue

The pipeline reinforces Turkey’s position that two separate political entities exist in Cyprus. Ankara seeks to present the occupied areas as a separate energy partner by creating infrastructure that operates independently of the Republic of Cyprus.

From Nicosia’s perspective, the project is an attempt to consolidate the division and create irreversible facts on the ground. The energy infrastructure therefore takes on a symbolic dimension because it represents a direct challenge to the exclusive sovereignty of the Republic of Cyprus over the entire island.

On July 20, during the “celebrations” marking the 1974 Turkish invasion, Turkish Vice President Cevdet Yilmaz effectively announced the project from occupied Nicosia and presented its technical characteristics at a time when there was renewed movement on the Cyprus issue.