European Democrats condemn Turkey's unilateral marine parks

On 15 August, President Erdoğan issued Presidential Decisions declaring two "national marine parks": one in the Northeastern Aegean, encompassing the maritime area around Kastellorizo, and one in the Eastern Mediterranean, between Samothrace and Lemnos. Both extend beyond Turkish territorial waters into zones where Greece holds sovereign rights and jurisdiction under international law.

Democrats – Progressive Centre, the EDP's member party in Greece led by Stefanos Kasselakis, stressed that such unilateral acts produce no legal effect and cannot be allowed to become faits accomplis through the mere passage of time. The party called on Athens and its EU partners to treat the matter as what it is: not a bilateral dispute, but a test of whether the Union stands behind the rule of law and the sovereign rights of one of its Member States.

In a social media post published on 18 August, the European Democratic Party said:

"President Erdoğan's decision to formalise two marine parks in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, extending beyond Turkish territorial waters into areas where Greek sovereign rights and jurisdiction are at stake, is a worrying unilateral move. Environmental protection must never be used to prejudge maritime boundaries or create faits accomplis. Europe must show clear solidarity with Greece and defend the sovereign rights of an EU Member State under international law. As European Democrats, we agree with our Greek member party, Democrats – Progressive Centre, led by Stefanos Kasselakis: 'Dialogue does not mean recognising faits accomplis.' Greece and Türkiye need dialogue and cooperation. But Erdoğan's government must respect international law, reciprocity and good-neighbourly relations."

In its own statement, Democrats – Progressive Centre made a related point about legality and scope: "The Greek Ministry of Foreign Affairs is right to point out that such unilateral actions produce no legal effect and cannot create faits accomplis." The party also framed the issue as a European one, not merely a bilateral one: "Challenges to the rights of an EU Member State cannot be treated merely as a bilateral dispute."

For the European Democrats, the case reflects a broader conviction: that good-neighbourly relations are built on international law, not on unilateral acts dressed up as environmental policy — and that the EU must stand firmly behind the sovereign rights of every Member State.