Albanian President Ilir Meta has asked Prime Minister Edi Rama to inform the public on the government’s planned actions following Greece’s announcement of intention to extend territorial waters from 6 to 12 nautical miles.
In a letter sent to Rama on Monday, Meta asked him to inform the public on talks with Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis regarding the issue, how such a “unilateral” move would affect Albania, and how the government plans to react to it, Shqiptarja reported.
Last week, Mitsotakis said the extension is Greece’s “inalienable sovereign right”, and in line with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The Albanian government was quick to confirm Greece’s right to extend its territorial waters unilaterally, following concerns raised in the Albanian public opinion.
Opposition leader Lulzim Basha then accused the prime minister of lack of transparency, while the latter defended himself arguing that his government has not been engaged in talks, it has nothing to hide, and Greece has a right to extend the sea border.
Mitsotakis also stated that, where the distance between two shores is smaller than 24 miles, Greece could apply a median line in the future for the maritime delimitation with Albania.
A median line was applied in a 2019 deal between the two countries, which was nullified by the Albanian Constitutional Court in 2010 because it considered some rocks close to the Albanian shore as Greek land in full effect.
