The National Maritime Spatial Plan was approved on 20 December 2023 by the Council of Ministers and all uses and activities in Cyprus’ waters must comply, the Deputy Ministry of Shipping said in a press release.
The Maritime Spatial Plan determines the spatial and temporal distribution of relevant current and future activities and uses in the marine waters of the Republic. The aim of the Plan is to contribute to supporting and promoting sustainable development at sea, applying an ecosystem approach and taking into account economic, social, environmental and cultural aspects, as well as promoting the coexistence of related activities and uses, Cyprus Business News reports.
The areas specified in the “Maritime Spatial Planning”, which is based on a European Union directive and is prepared by all member states, violates the rights of both Türkiye and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC).
Türkiye has registered the outer limits of its continental shelf in the Mediterranean to the United Nations as early as 2004 and most recently in 2020.
It has been stated from the beginning that unilateral acts of the Greek Cypriot Administration, regarding maritime jurisdiction areas will not be accepted, and Türkiye’s practices in the field continue within this framework. This time, the Greek side’s attempt to exploit the European Union’s Directive on Marine Spatial Planning is seen as the latest futile effort.
Türkiye has legitimate rights and jurisdiction in the maritime areas to the west of the Island of Cyprus, and Turkish Cypriots have legitimate rights in the maritime areas around the Island. The illegitimate and outright greedy initiatives of the Greek Cypriot Administration are detached from reality and have no validity and undermine the efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and sustainable solution to the Cyprus issue.
