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Greece has moved forward with a presidential decree for a marine park in the southern Aegean, with Greek media portraying the move as a signal that Athens will not back down on issues it links to sovereign rights despite objections from Türkiye.
Greek Environment and Energy Minister Stavros Papastavrou signed the decree for the South Aegean 1-Southern Cyclades Marine Park, Greek newspaper Ta Nea reported Thursday.
The decree, also signed by Defense Minister Nikos Dendias and Rural Development Minister Kostas Tsiaras, is being sent to Greece's Council of State for final legal review.
Papastavrou said the measure fulfilled a commitment made by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis and had been completed in "record time."
He said Greece aimed to have more than 35% of its seas under protection in the first months of 2027.
A presidential decree for a separate marine park in the Ionian Sea is expected to follow in the coming weeks, according to Ta Nea.
Ta Nea said the timing of the decree amounted to a message from Athens that it would not retreat on matters it considers connected to Greek sovereign rights in the Aegean.
The newspaper also said Greek officials were not ruling out renewed objections from Türkiye.
That characterization was made by the newspaper and was not presented as a direct statement by the Greek government.
The marine parks have been a source of disagreement between Athens and Ankara.
When Greece announced the Aegean and Ionian marine parks in July 2025, Türkiye's Foreign Ministry said the measures would have no legal consequences for outstanding Aegean disputes, including disagreements involving the status of certain geographical features.
Ankara also argued that unilateral steps should be avoided in closed or semi-enclosed seas and said Türkiye remained ready to cooperate with Greece on environmental issues in the Aegean.
Greece, meanwhile, has described the parks as an environmental initiative aimed at expanding marine protection.
Mitsotakis said when announcing the two parks in 2025 that they would help Greece meet its goal of protecting 30% of its territorial waters by 2030 and would include a ban on bottom trawling.
According to Ta Nea, the decree would reshape rules governing land use and environmental protection across extensive island and marine areas.
It provides for a broad ban on towed fishing gear, including trawling, while imposing restrictions on commercial and recreational fishing and limiting major construction and infrastructure projects in environmentally sensitive areas.
The park covers undeveloped areas of islets in the southern Cyclades, as well as Natura-protected areas on larger islands, including Milos, Kimolos, Folegandros, Sikinos, Santorini, Anafi, Amorgos, Iraklia, Schinoussa, Koufonisi, Kinaros and Levitha, along with surrounding marine areas.
The strictest protection rules would apply to designated zones where permanent or supporting installations would not be allowed.
In other sensitive areas, including marine zones identified as important for seal reproduction, only facilities related to ecosystem protection and management, as well as scientific research, would be permitted, Ta Nea reported.
Greece is also strengthening surveillance of its marine protected areas.
Papastavrou on Wednesday received Syrna, one of three new coast guard-type vessels acquired by the Natural Environment and Climate Change Agency to support monitoring and protection operations, according to the newspaper.
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