Latest news with #Mitsotakis
TimesLIVE
a day ago
- Business
- TimesLIVE
Greece invites Libya to maritime zone talks to ease strained ties
Greece has invited Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli to start talks on demarcating exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean Sea, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said late on Wednesday. The move is aimed at mending relations between the two neighbours, strained by a controversial maritime deal signed in 2019 between the Libyan government and Türkiye, Greece's long-standing foe, which mapped out a sea area close to the Greek island of Crete. "We invite — and I think you may soon see progress in this area — we invite the Tripoli government to discuss with Greece the delimitation of a continental shelf and an exclusive economic zone," Mitsotakis told local Skai television. Greece this year launched a new tender to develop its hydrocarbon resources off Crete, a move that Libya has objected to, saying some of the blocks infringed its own maritime zones.
Libya Observer
5 days ago
- Politics
- Libya Observer
Greece calls on Libya to engage e maritime border delimitation talks
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has called on Libya to engage in negotiations with Greece regarding the delimitation of the continental shelf and the exclusive economic zone. In an interview with Greek broadcaster Skai, Mitsotakis stated that there are no issues concerning the sovereignty of Greece's islands, and stressed that Libya must make a choice, claiming that 'Turkey is clearly manipulating it.' On the issue of migration, Mitsotakis reaffirmed that Greece will not tolerate mass illegal migration and will do everything within the framework of international law to prevent it. He added that Greece is sending a clear message to smugglers: reaching Greek territory will not guarantee easy entry. Tags:
Euractiv
5 days ago
- Politics
- Euractiv
EU stays quiet as Greek top court appointment row deepens
Despite flagging judicial independence concerns in its own report, the European Commission has declined to comment on Greece's latest court appointment controversy Euractiv is part of the Trust Project Sarantis Michalopoulos Euractiv Jul 24, 2025 15:09 2 min. read News Based on facts, either observed and verified directly by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Greek judges are up in arms after the conservative government bypassed their input on Supreme Court appointments. Yet, Brussels remains silent despite flagging rule of law concerns in its annual report on such matters this year. According to the European Commission's 2025 Rule of Law Report, public trust in the Greek justice system remains low, with citizens and businesses consistently believing that the judiciary is politically influenced. At the centre of the dispute lies the process of appointing top judges, which, unlike in other EU countries, remains under the government's complete control. Following a Commission recommendation, the Greek government passed legislation in 2024 enabling judges to express a non-binding opinion on their preferred candidates for senior judicial roles - a move the EU executive welcomed just last month. But earlier this week, the conservative Mitsotakis government disregarded the results of a secret ballot conducted among judges on eight vice-presidential candidates to the Supreme Court, excluding all those endorsed by the judiciary. The Commission, however, has so far refused to comment on the situation. 'We do not comment on individual cases,' a spokesperson told Euractiv, referring to the Rule of Law Report and adding that the Commission will "continue monitoring development". Meanwhile, the Greek Association of Judges and Prosecutors issued a statement accusing the government of trying to preserve its unchecked authority over judicial appointments once again. The judges also said the new law serves no purpose if judicial opinions are ignored. Justice Minister Giorgos Floridis hit back on Wednesday, saying Greece would 'not become a state of judges.' He also warned that judicial autonomy could lead to a system 'that has nothing to do with democracy,' and stressed that nowhere in the world do judges alone select their top officials. Judicial appointment systems vary across the EU. In most member states, governments do not have exclusive control as parliaments and judicial bodies are also involved. In Italy, for example, five of the 15 Constitutional Court judges are appointed by the president, five are elected by parliament, and five come from high courts. In France, top judges are appointed by the president based on proposals from the High Council of the Judiciary, a body composed of judges, legal professionals, and political appointees. In Germany, judges of the Federal Constitutional Court are elected by a two-thirds majority in both houses of parliament, ensuring broad political consensus. (cs, de)
Straits Times
5 days ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Greece warns Turkey over EU defence scheme
Find out what's new on ST website and app. Turkey, while a member of Nato but not the EU, is technically eligible to access the €150 billion (S$225 billion) Security Action for Europe initiative. ATHENS - Greece has warned Turkey that it may block Turkish access to a European Union defence fund unless Ankara guarantees that the weapons will not be used to target Athens. There are historic tensions between EU member Greece and neighbouring Turkey over sovereignty rights in the Aegean Sea and, more recently, over energy exploration and migration. Turkey, which is a member of Nato but not the EU, is technically eligible to access EU defence industry financing and joint procurement programmes as part of the bloc's €150 billion (S$225 billion) Security Action for Europe ( Safe ) initiative. But Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said late on July 23 that his country would not allow Turkey to take part in the defence scheme if it continued to threaten war against Greece and question its sovereignty in the Aegean Sea. 'Greece will not allow it,' the conservative leader told Skai TV. Turkey maintains a longstanding threat of war should Greece unilaterally expand its territorial waters in the Aegean. Mr Mitsotakis pointed out that all 27 EU members would have to agree before Turkey could access Safe funds. 'Unanimity is required,' he stressed. His comments came hours after Germany said it had approved the delivery of Eurofighter jets to Turkey . Turkey had been in talks for several years on buying 40 of the aircraft, which are constructed by a consortium from Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain. The Typhoon jets are to be built in Britain and London is leading the negotiations. All members of the consortium must sign off on the sale and Germany, which has clashed with Turkey over Israel's war on Gaza, had objected until now. After Germany gave the green light to the sale, the Turkish and British defence ministers signed a preliminary agreement in Istanbul on July 23 for the delivery of the jets. Mr Mitsotakis said that while Greece could, if deemed necessary, block Turkey from accessing Safe funds, it could not actually prevent the Eurofighter deal. It could, however, set conditions. 'Turkey is a large country with a strong defence industry,' he said. 'And if someone believes they can block any purchase of defence equipment by Turkey, they are deeply ignorant. It has never happened. It cannot happen. 'What can happen, however, is that we make our European allies aware that there will be contingencies and conditions regarding the way these aircraft will be delivered, potentially used and supported in the future,' he said. The EU has launched a raft of initiatives aimed at raising up to € 800 billion to help member countries bolster their defences. Safe is a €150 billion financing package designed to strengthen European defence capabilities and reduce dependence on Nato and the United States. The scheme offers low-interest loans for procurement and can include third countries with whom the EU has a security and defence partnership, such as Turkey. AFP
The Star
5 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Greece invites Libya to maritime zone talks to ease strained ties
FILE PHOTO: Children play by the tents, as recently arrived migrants shelter at the temporary migrants' camp staged on a soccer pitch in the region of Rethymno in Crete island, Greece, June 24, 2025. REUTERS/Stefanos Rapanis/File Photo ATHENS (Reuters) -Greece has invited Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli to start talks on demarcating exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean Sea, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said late on Wednesday. The move is aimed at mending relations between the two neighbours, strained by a controversial maritime deal signed in 2019 between the Libyan government and Turkey, Greece's long-standing foe, which mapped out a sea area close to the Greek island of Crete. "We invite - and I think you may soon see progress in this area - we invite the Tripoli government to discuss with Greece the delimitation of a continental shelf and an exclusive economic zone," Mitsotakis told local Skai television. Greece this year launched a new tender to develop its hydrocarbon resources off Crete, a move that Libya has objected to, saying some of the blocks infringed its own maritime zones. Law and order has been weak in Libya since a 2011 uprising that toppled dictator Muammar Gaddafi, with the country divided by factional conflict into eastern and western sections for over a decade. Therefore, any communication with Libya was not easy, Mitsotakis said. He indicated that Greece was determined to continue talking to both the Tripoli-based government and a parallel administration based in Benghazi. In recent months, Athens has sought closer cooperation with Libya to help stem a surge in migrant arrivals from the North African country to Greece's southern islands of Gavdos and Crete and passed legislation banning migrants arriving from Libyaby sea from requesting asylum. In an incident earlier this month, the European Union migration commissioner and ministers from Italy, Malta and Greece were denied entry to the eastern part of divided Libya, shortly after meeting the internationally recognised government that controls the west of Libya. (Reporting by Renee Maltezou; Editing by Angeliki Koutantou, William Maclean)
