Extension of territorial waters in Ionian Sea ratified

With 284 votes in favor and 16 “present,” lawmakers approved legislation on Wednesday to extend Greece’s territorial waters along its western coastline from six to 12 nautical miles.

“For the first time since the Dodecanese (islands) in 1947, the national territory is enlarged by about 10%, with procedures completely based on the rules of international law,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis, addressing Parliament.

“The expansion of the waters to the West inevitably sends a message to the East. It shows that violence does not produce justice, but that – on the contrary – it is this law that produces peace,” he said, adding that the extension is “a clear message to those who are trying to deprive our country.”