Greece pleased after EU Parliament’s call to annul Turkey-Libya MoU

The European Parliament called for the cancellation of a controversial 2019 Memorandum of Understanding between Turkey and Libya, which has caused tensions in the Mediterranean ever since.

In late 2019, Turkey signed a memorandum of understanding with Libya to demarcate maritime zones, a move that triggered strong reactions in Athens, Nicosia and Cairo.

The Turkish-Libyan deal ignores the island of Crete, and Greece says Turkey wants to set a legal precedent with an MoU that is “illegal” under international law.

The European Commission and the EU Council have repeatedly condemned the Turkey-Libya MoU as “illegal” and the EU House took a step further calling for its annulment.

With 454 votes in favour, 130 against and 54 abstentions, EU lawmakers also demanded to end to all foreign interventions on Libyan territory, while asking Russia, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates to withdraw troops from the country.

Yet, the European Parliament wants a special EU envoy for Libya to be appointed as a matter of priority, as well as a roadmap for holding free and fair elections.

The EU House’s resolution comes a day after the signing of the Greece-Egypt agreement on the definition of Search and Rescue areas, recognising that the area south of Crete and the Eastern Aegean up to the Egyptian coast is exclusively controlled by them, which directly contradicts the Turkey-Libya MoU.

Since 2011, the EU has invested some €700 million in Libya, for matters including development, aid and controversial security and coast guard project.

(EURACTIV.gr)