Libya rejects EU criticism of Turkey maritime deal

A committee in Libya’s Parliament has rejected the European Commission’s recent finding that Tripoli’s 2019 maritime agreement with Turkey violates international law and violates the sovereign rights of third countries, according to The Arab Weekly.

The committee argued that Libya’s international agreements fall strictly under the jurisdiction of its constitutional institutions and condemned what it called outside interference in the country’s foreign affairs.

The disputed memorandum of understanding establishes exclusive economic zones (EEZs) in the Mediterranean, granting Turkey and Libya shared rights to explore and exploit energy resources. Greece, Cyprus, and Egypt oppose the deal, claiming it overlaps with their own maritime territories.

The agreement has resurfaced as a major point of tension amid reports that Libya’s eastern-based administration is considering ratifying it, which would give it further legal standing. Libya remains split between two rival authorities: the UN-recognized Government of National Unity in Tripoli, and the eastern Government of National Stability in Sirte, backed by the Libyan National Army and forces loyal to Khalifa Haftar.