The Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO) submitted a request to Libya to obtain a permit for exploration in the eastern Mediterranean.
Turkish Energy Minister, Fatih Donmez, claimed that “exploration work will begin as soon as the process is completed,” according to Turkish news agency ‘Anatolia’.
Last November, the Libyan Government of National Accord signed a bilateral agreement with Turkey to establish an Exclusive Economic Zone from the southern coast of Turkey to Libya’s northeastern coast. The move was heavily criticized by the international community, particularly by Mediterranean countries, who argued that the agreement lacked a legal basis and infringed the sovereign rights of countries such as Cyprus and Greece.