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Türkiye’s Ministry of National Defense shared the latest status of work on the Maritime Jurisdiction Areas Law, also known as the “Blue Homeland Law,” saying the proposed legislation would define responsibilities within Türkiye’s maritime jurisdiction areas and address gaps in domestic legal regulations.
The ministry also said the Turkish Armed Forces would continue protecting Türkiye’s rights and interests in its maritime jurisdiction areas.
Following the ministry’s weekly press briefing on Thursday, Rear Adm. Zeki Akturk, adviser for press and public relations and ministry spokesperson, answered questions from journalists regarding the draft legislation.
Providing an update on the Maritime Jurisdiction Areas Law, ministry sources described the legislation as a framework law intended to regulate responsibilities in Türkiye’s maritime zones.
“The Maritime Jurisdiction Areas Law is a framework law that will determine responsibilities within our maritime jurisdiction areas and address deficiencies in our domestic legal legislation,” the sources said.
The ministry stated that it has contributed to the legislative process at military, technical, academic and legal levels.
“Our ministry has participated in the legislative work at military, technical, academic and legal levels, and our contributions have been conveyed to the relevant institutions. Final work on the draft law is continuing by the relevant institutions of our country,” the sources added.
The ministry also reiterated that the Turkish Armed Forces would continue safeguarding Türkiye’s maritime claims.
“Our Turkish Armed Forces will continue, as always, to resolutely protect our country’s rights and interests in its maritime jurisdiction areas,” the sources said.
They added that recent regional and global security developments have increased the importance of defense cooperation among allied and friendly countries.
The remarks came after Bloomberg reported last Friday that Türkiye is preparing to submit legislation to parliament asserting maritime jurisdiction in disputed areas of the Aegean and Mediterranean seas.
Citing people familiar with the matter who spoke on condition of anonymity, Bloomberg said the proposed legislation would represent the first formal step by Ankara to codify its maritime claims and officially declare jurisdiction over potential natural gas resources.
The Eastern Mediterranean dispute intensified following major natural gas discoveries near Cyprus, Egypt and Israel during the 2010s.
Türkiye argues that Greece and the Greek Cypriot administration pursue “maximalist” maritime claims that attempt to confine Ankara to a narrow coastal area despite Türkiye possessing the region’s longest continental coastline.
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Ankara also says Turkish Cypriots are excluded from hydrocarbon revenues and regional energy projects.
Greece, meanwhile, maintains that islands are entitled to generate continental shelf and Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) rights under international law.
Türkiye rejects that interpretation, arguing maritime boundaries should primarily be determined from mainland coastlines rather than islands.
According to the Bloomberg report, the proposed legislation would formally codify Türkiye’s interpretation of maritime jurisdiction for the first time.
However, it remains unclear when the bill will be introduced or debated in parliament.
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