European Union leaders and Greece condemned the eastern Libyan parliament’s approval of a disputed maritime agreement with Turkey, while Ankara defended the pact as lawful and welcomed the reversal of years of opposition.
Libya’s eastern-based House of Representatives approved the agreement Tuesday, reversing its previous rejection of a pact signed by Turkey and Libya’s then-internationally recognized Government of National Accord in Tripoli in November 2019.
The agreement draws a maritime boundary between Turkey and Libya, supporting their claims to potentially gas-rich areas of the eastern Mediterranean.
Greece claims that it disregards the maritime rights of its islands, including Crete, which lies between the Turkish and Libyan coasts, while Turkey says the agreement complies with international law and protects both countries’ interests.
The eastern parliament’s reversal removes a source of opposition within Libya but does not resolve the competing claims of neighboring countries.
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and European Council President António Costa said Tuesday that the EU’s objections to the agreement remained unchanged.
“We deeply regret the ratification today by the Libyan Parliament of the so-called Libyan-Türkiye Memorandum of Understanding on the delimitation of maritime jurisdictions in the Mediterranean Sea,” they said in a joint statement.
“This agreement infringes upon the sovereign rights of third states, it does not comply with the Law of the Sea, and is null and void.”
The two leaders reaffirmed solidarity with Greece and Cyprus and reiterated the bloc’s opposition to outside interference in Libya.
The Greek Foreign Ministry said the ratification “does not change the fact that the memorandum remains illegal, null and void, contravenes international law of the sea, and infringes upon the sovereign rights of states in the region,” Agence France-Presse reported.
“We call on the Libyan side to refrain from any action that contravenes international law and undermines stability in the Eastern Mediterranean,” the ministry added.
In its statement, the ministry also said Greece had informed its partners and allies and would take appropriate action to safeguard its sovereign rights.
According to the ministry, Turkey and Libya lack opposite or adjacent coasts that would provide a lawful basis for the boundary and that the agreement disregards Greek islands’ entitlement to maritime zones.
Criticism also came from US Senator Rick Scott, a Florida Republican, who accused President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan of threatening US and Greek interests in a post on X.
“This is another illegal and thuggish move by Erdogan. It disrespects the United States because it directly threatens the interests of America and our friend and ally, Greece. If Erdogan won’t act like an ally, he shouldn’t enjoy the benefits of NATO.”
This is another illegal and thuggish move by Erdogan. It disrespects the United States because it directly threatens the interests of America and our friend and ally, Greece.
If Erdogan won’t act like an ally, he shouldn’t enjoy the benefits of NATO. https://t.co/osnzPX9m4G
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) October 20, 2026
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan welcomed the approval Wednesday during a parliamentary group meeting of his ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Ankara.
“The Libyan House of Representatives approved the Memorandum of Understanding on the Delimitation of Maritime Jurisdiction Areas between Türkiye and Libya. I hope this important decision will be beneficial,” he said.
The Foreign Ministry had welcomed the vote Tuesday, saying the agreement had been in force since 2019 and protected both countries’ rights and interests under international law and the principle of equity.
It pledged to continue working with regional partners to promote stability and peace in the Mediterranean.
Main opposition New Party leader Özgür Özel also commented on the development and rejected the EU criticism Wednesday, saying agreements between two sovereign states could not be dismissed because of political preferences.
“For us, Turkey’s rights and interests stand above all our domestic political differences,” he said.
Addressing von der Leyen, Özel accused her of taking sides in the Mediterranean and urged her to support fair and lasting solutions rather than fuel regional tensions.
Avrupa Komisyonu Başkanı Ursula von der Leyen’in, Türkiye ile Libya arasındaki deniz yetki alanları anlaşmasını hedef alan açıklamalarını reddediyoruz.
Türkiye ve Libya, egemen iki devlettir. Karşılıklı hak ve menfaatleri doğrultusunda yaptıkları anlaşmalar, siyasi tercihler… https://t.co/YURtncZhbz
— Özgür Özel (@eczozgurozel) October 21, 2026
The Libyan vote marks a further warming of relations between Turkey and eastern military commander Khalifa Haftar’s camp. Ankara supported the Tripoli government against Haftar’s forces during their 2019-2020 offensive on the capital but has since expanded contacts with his allies.
Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan met with Haftar in Benghazi in August during his first official visit to the city. Turkish intelligence chief İbrahim Kalın has also held talks with eastern Libyan leaders, while Haftar’s son Saddam has made several visits to Turkey.
Ankara reopened its consulate in Benghazi in 2024 as part of that outreach. Its interests include commercial opportunities, energy cooperation and broader support for the maritime agreement.
The Libyan House of Representatives also revoked two decisions adopted in 2020 opposing agreements with Turkey and cutting political relations with Ankara. Libya remains divided between the UN-recognized government in Tripoli and a rival eastern administration backed by Haftar.
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