The Greek Council of State, which is the Supreme Administrative Court, approved on Friday the Presidential decree for the expansion of Greek territorial waters by 12 miles. According to the Greek newspaper “Protothema”, the passing of this decree on Christmas day, is a clear sign to Turkey, that Greece will not minimize its efforts towards the delimitation of its sea borders.
The above-mentioned decree does not involve the common area between Albania and Greece, which have agreed to refer their dispute over maritime borders to the International Court of Justice. The maritime borders in the Ionian Sea have been a long-debated issue between Albania and Greece. According to Prime Minister Rama, by bringing the case to the International Court of Justice, both countries could continue to focus on their economic and regional cooperation. Back in 2009, Rama while in opposition, challenged the former maritime agreement made between Greece and Albania. The Constitutional Court of Albania, would later have nullified it, as being unconstitutional, and from that moment on the issue has been a central point on the relationship of the two countries.
