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.

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.

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.

Source: Ekathimerini.com