Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis delivers a speech during a plenary session at the third United Nations Ocean Conference (UNOC3), which gathers leaders, researchers and activists to discuss how to protect marine life, at the Centre des Expositions conference center in Nice, France, on June 9, 2025. [Manon Cruz/Reuters]
Greece is moving cautiously to finalize the creation of two new national marine parks, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced in Nice, France. He said the legal process to establish the parks in the Ionian Sea and the southern Cyclades will begin before the end of June.
Mitsotakis made the announcement during his speech at the UN Ocean Conference, signaling a shift from earlier plans concerning a marine park in the Aegean Sea. “The two parks were announced in a first phase, with more to follow,” he said.
The initiative addresses a long-standing issue, with Greece signaling its intent to declare the parks about a year ago. Turkey quickly objected, invoking its “grey zones” theory to dispute Greek sovereignty over certain islets and rocks. However, since the southern Cyclades park does not involve contested areas, no immediate Turkish objections are expected. Turkish concerns would likely focus on the Dodecanese islands and nearby islets, which were part of earlier proposals but are planned for future phases.
The next step is public consultation on the studies, where official maps defining the parks’ boundaries will be presented. Turkish reactions may become clearer then.
Mitsotakis emphasized the importance of international law in ocean governance. “For the protection and security of our oceans and seas, legal frameworks are necessary. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the only international framework we have for the maritime sector,” he said.
In a related development, at a Mediterranean connectivity conference organized by French President Emmanuel Macron, Mitsotakis highlighted the Greece-Cyprus-Israel electrical cable project as a “vital link for the European energy market” with strategic importance due to European company involvement.
Athens is treading carefully on the diplomatic front amid ongoing talks with Turkey. Meetings on the Political Dialogue and Positive Agenda will take place in Ankara soon. Mitsotakis and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan may meet during the NATO summit in The Hague later this month.