Libya protests Greece on international tender for hydrocarbon exploration off south of Crete

By Ahmet Gencturk

ATHENS (AA)- Libya protested Greece for Athens’ international tender for hydrocarbon exploration off the south of Greece.

The Foreign Ministry of the Libyan Government of National Union, released a statement condemning Athens’ move as a clear violation of Libya’s sovereign rights, in reference to the tender which was announced by Greece in May and published last week in the Official Journal of the European Union.

The ministry underlined that Libya has always sought to make the Mediterranean Basin a space for cooperation, peace and shared development among all coastal states.

Unilateral actions will only lead to greater tension and complications, it added.

Against that background, the ministry urged Greek authorities to act responsibly, take into account the deep historical ties between the two nations and prioritize constructive dialogue and negotiation as the only feasible path toward rightful and lawful solutions that safeguard the interests of all parties involved.

Meanwhile, Greek media underlined that Libya’s reaction came amid reports of a scheduled visit by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis to the North African country, which signed a maritime delimitation agreement with Türkiye in 2019.