Parliamentary debate on territorial waters extension given extra day

A debate in Parliament on a Foreign Ministry bill extending Greece’s territorial waters in the Ionian Sea was granted an additional day, with the vote now expected on Wednesday instead of Tuesday.

According to the Athens-Macedonian News Agency, the discussion was extended to two days from one to give lawmakers wishing to present their position on the issue ample time to do so.

The legislation, Foreign Minister Nikos Dendias said in his opening remarks when presenting the bill, represents the first time that Greece will extend its territorial waters since 1947 and concerns an area of more than 13,000 square kilometers, including the area inside bays.

“Considering that the country’s entire area is around 135,000 square kilometers, the scope of this expansion is evident,” Dendias said, hailing the opposition parties that supported the legislation at the committee level ahead of the plenary debate.

The legislation, he added, “has an element of historicity and I would like to warmly thank the parties for their cooperation.”

The legislation will extend Greece’s territorial waters from six to 12 nautical miles along the entire length of the Ionian Sea.