Kathimerini Greece Newsroom
By Vassilis Nedos
Turkey has voiced sharp criticism of a European Commission map delineating potential maximum maritime zones for Greece, calling it an affront to its territorial claims in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Although the map is part of a broader EU maritime spatial planning initiative unrelated to Greek-Turkish negotiations, Ankara perceives it as provocative. The map revives elements of the older “Seville Map,” granting full influence to Greek islands, including the disputed Kastellorizo – a red line for Turkey, which seeks unobstructed access to the Mediterranean.
Turkey’s military response has followed suit, with the Turkish Armed Forces conducting exercises between Rhodes and Cyprus. In the past 24 hours, multiple violations of Greece’s flight information region (FIR) occurred, further escalating tensions. Turkish aircraft did not file flight plans, leading to Greek military protocols being triggered. The exercises, dubbed “Kaplan Pencesi 2024,” also involved violations of Cyprus’ FIR, a common occurrence.
Politically, Turkish nationalists, led by Devlet Bahceli of the Nationalist Movement Party, have fueled the rhetoric, accusing the European Union of siding with Greece to undermine Turkey’s “Blue Homeland” doctrine which envisages Turkish influence over large swaths of the Mediterranean at the expense of countries in the region, including Greece and Cyprus.
Bahceli compared EU actions to the Crusaders defeated by the Ottoman Turks in the 1538 Battle of Preveza, emphasizing Turkey’s resolve to protect its maritime interests. He warned that those who encroach on Turkish waters would face severe consequences. Those, he declared, posing challenges in Turkey’s waters will be “turned to smoke.”
Meanwhile, Turkish media cited historical treaties, including those between Turkey and Mussolini’s Italy (1932-1937), questioning the legality of Greece’s sovereignty.
The flare-up underscores enduring tensions between NATO allies over sovereignty and maritime rights, and complicates ongoing diplomatic efforts to stabilize the region, with the European Union caught between supporting Greece and maintaining dialogue with Turkey.
