Libya's parliament has approved a maritime agreement with Turkey and revoked a 2020 boycott decision, according to two L...

Libya's parliament has approved a maritime agreement with Turkey and revoked a 2020 boycott decision, according to two Libyan MPs who spoke to Reuters on Tuesday. The move comes after a significant leadership change at the top of the parliament. Aguila Saleh, who held the speaker position for 12 years and was a firm opponent of the 2019 Turkey-Libya maritime memorandum, was replaced by Al-Salhin Abdel Nabi. The transition was agreed upon by both the Libyan National Army and the Government of National Stability, the country's two rival factions. Abdel Nabi's background makes the shift even more striking. Born in Tobruk in 1964 and a civil engineer by training, he has served as an MP since 2014 and previously chaired parliament's friendship committee with Turkey. As recently as 2020 he accused Ankara of trying to control Libya's resources, but over time became a key figure in bringing the two sides together. The original 2019 Turkey-Libya memorandum drew sharp condemnation from Greece, Cyprus, Egypt, and the European Union, as it mapped out overlapping maritime zones in the Eastern Mediterranean that Greece argues violate its sovereign rights and ignore the island of Crete entirely. Athens has consistently refused to recognize the deal as having any legal standing under international law. With Saleh gone and a Turkey-friendly speaker now in place, Libya's parliament has effectively removed the last institutional obstacle to deepening Ankara's foothold in the Eastern Mediterranean. The long-term implications for Greek and Cypriot maritime claims in the region remain a central concern for policymakers in Athens and Nicosia. #Libya #Turkey #EasternMediterranean