European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly condemned the Libyan parliament's approval of the Turkey-Lib...

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen publicly condemned the Libyan parliament's approval of the Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, calling the EU "deeply dismayed" by the vote. The memorandum, originally signed in November 2019, purports to delimit maritime jurisdiction zones in the Mediterranean Sea between the two countries. Von der Leyen was direct: the EU's position has not changed since 2019, and it never will on this. The deal violates the sovereign rights of third states, does not comply with international law of the sea, and is considered legally invalid by the European Union. She reaffirmed Brussels' solidarity with both Greece and the Republic of Cyprus. Greece has long argued that the memorandum effectively erases the maritime rights of its own islands, including Crete, by drawing jurisdiction lines that treat Greek territory as if it does not exist. The agreement was originally struck between Turkey and Libya's then internationally recognized Government of National Accord, and critics have called it a legal fiction designed to give Ankara a foothold in waters it has no legal basis to claim. Von der Leyen also issued a pointed warning against outside interference, reiterating that the EU "opposes any external interference in Libya's affairs." That statement was a direct rebuke of Ankara's continued political involvement in Libyan governance, which Brussels has repeatedly flagged as destabilizing. The Libyan parliament's decision to formally ratify the deal now raises the stakes considerably in the Eastern Mediterranean, where energy rights and maritime boundaries have been a source of tension between Greece, Turkey, and Cyprus for years. #Greece #EasternMediterranean #TurkeyLibya