Greece announced the IEZ in the Ionian Sea: why 5 years later

The government has just announced the proclamation AOZ (Αποκλειστική οικονομική ζώνη – the exceptional economic zone) in the Ionian Sea, after Five years After signing an agreement with Italy.

Presidential Decreebased on the 2020 agreement, proclaims AOZ in the sea zone of the Ionian Sea, Ionian Islands and to Cape Tenaron On Peloponnes.

The question arises: why an ad Exceptional economic zone took five years? Was there a concrete reason why the government hesitated?

The government newspaper is published Presidential Decreeaccording to which “The Greek Republic is announced an exceptional economic zone in the specified sea zone”. This is the first decree signed Konstantinos Tasulas (Κωνσταντίνος τασούλας), as the president of the republic, dated April 16, 2025on the day of the announcement Sea spatial plan. AOZ It is the result of the 2020 Greco-Italian agreement.

Presidential Decree

When announcing AOZ The provisions are taken into account:

• Clause 1 of Article Second Law 4716/2020 “Ratification of an agreement between the Greek Republic and the Italian Republic on the division of the sea zones” (α΄ 163), which entered into force on November 8, 2021.
• The UN Convention on the Law of the Sea of ​​December 10, 1982, ratified by Law 2321/1995 (α΄ 136).

AOZ It does not include the territorial waters of the Greek Republic, the width of which is determined by law 4767/2021 (α΄ 9). Sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the Greek Republic in AOZ They are carried out in accordance with parts V, VI, VII, VIII, XII and XIII of the UN Convention on Sea Law. Greece retains the right to similar actions against other coasts according to this convention. See the publication in Φεκ (Φύλλο εφημερίδας της κυβερνήσεως – government newspaper).

Gerapetrician about marine spatial terms

In an interview (SKAI) in Great Wednesday Foreign Minister Yorgos Gerapertritis (Γιώργος γεραπετρίτης) noted that agreements with Egypt and Italy “Must be reflected on the map”. He added that on the day of publication Sea spatial plan The State Council issued a protocol integrating the Greek-Italian agreement into the legal system of Greece, which made an earlier announcement impossible.

Source link