According to information provided by the Libyan Foreign Ministry on Wednesday, Greece is carrying out exploratory contracts in a contentious region in the Eastern Mediterranean.
The ministry issued a statement criticizing Greece’s “irresponsible actions” in agreeing to begin oil and gas exploration along the maritime border between Libya and Greece.
The Sanko Swift ship, which specializes in research and surveying in the Eastern Mediterranean, and Greece’s contract with multinational businesses were both mentioned by the ministry as having been verified.
The ministry declared that it will take legal and diplomatic action to safeguard Libya’s rights and sovereignty in its marine zones, claiming that Greece was carrying out exploratory contracts in a disputed area south and southwest of the islands of Crete.
Greece disagrees with a maritime boundary agreement agreed in 2019 between Tripoli and Turkey that was later recognized by the U.N.
Libya and Turkey inked a tentative agreement for energy exploration in October 2023.