Greece announced plans to establish a roadmap for the delimitation of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) with Libya by the end of this year. The move was described by Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis as part of Athens’ “multi-dimensional and balanced” policy towards the Libyan file.
In an interview with Parapolitika radio, Gerapetritis reiterated Greece’s rejection of the 2019 maritime memorandum signed between Turkey and Libya, labelling it “invalid and illegal.” He argued that Ankara and Tripoli are not neighbouring states, unlike Greece and Libya, which share adjacent maritime boundaries.
The minister noted that Athens is navigating a complex political scene in Libya by keeping open communication channels with all actors. He confirmed ongoing ties with the government backed by the House of Representatives in Benghazi and with Field Marshal Khalifa Haftar, while also signalling readiness to re-engage with the authorities in Tripoli.
“Greece is the only EU member holding high-level talks with the different Libyan factions,” Gerapetritis said, stressing that irregular migration flows from Libya towards Greece had significantly declined in recent months thanks to enhanced cooperation.
On Monday, the Greek minister met Belgassem Haftar, Director-General of the Reconstruction and Development Fund, to discuss opportunities in construction, energy, transport, and investment. The talks also addressed military cooperation, including training for 48 coastguard members in Benghazi as part of joint efforts to curb irregular migration.
Greek foreign ministry spokesperson Liana Zoutsiou confirmed the meeting also prepared the ground for a visit by a Greek business delegation to Benghazi in the coming weeks. The group will include large and medium-sized companies specialising in construction, energy, logistics, shipping, and healthcare.
According to Kathimerini newspaper, the diplomatic momentum from Athens follows a year of Turkish attempts to strengthen its presence in eastern Libya, particularly to reinforce the contested 2019 maritime memorandum. However, sources in Benghazi indicated that the House of Representatives will not ratify the deal signed between Ankara and the Tripoli-based government.
The paper also reported that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis recently expressed his country’s desire to deepen economic cooperation with Benghazi during a meeting with Belgassem Haftar earlier this week.
This renewed diplomatic engagement underscores Greece’s bid to counterbalance Turkish influence while pursuing stronger political and economic partnerships in Libya, with energy, infrastructure, and migration management high on the agenda.
