Turkey Issues Counter-NAVTEX Ahead of Multinational “EUNOMIA 2025” Exercise

In a fresh act of provocation, Turkey has issued a counter-NAVTEX challenging the multinational aeronaval exercise “EUNOMIA 2025”, scheduled to take place on September 15–16 in the southeastern Aegean Sea, near the islands of Kasos and Karpathos.

The move is seen as yet another attempt by Ankara to undermine the sovereign rights of Greece and Cyprus in the region — an area where Turkey has previously obstructed undersea cable-laying operations for the Greece–Cyprus electricity interconnection project.

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“EUNOMIA 2025”: A Message of European Defense Cooperation

The “EUNOMIA” exercise, organized within the framework of regional defense cooperation, includes the participation of:

• Hellenic Navy vessels
• A French Navy frigate and Rafale fighter jets from the French Air Force
• Units from the Italian Navy
• Naval forces from the Republic of Cyprus

The drills are to take place in international waters, but within areas covered by Greek and Cypriot NAVTEX authority, FIR zones, and potential EEZ claims, making it a longstanding hotspot for Turkish contestation.

Greece and Cyprus Issue NAVTEX – Turkey Responds with Counterclaims

On September 4, Greece’s Heraklion NAVTEX station issued notice 864/25 to announce the planned exercise. Cyprus followed with its own NAVTEX on September 5, covering parts of the exercise area within its designated maritime responsibility.

Turkey swiftly responded by issuing counter-NAVTEX notices (0851/25 and 0852/25), asserting that:

• The Heraklion station has no authority in the region,
• The area falls under Turkish jurisdiction,
• Cyprus has no legitimacy to issue NAVTEX, as Ankara does not recognize the Republic of Cyprus.

Turkey then reissued NAVTEX notices of its own, attempting to portray itself as the legitimate authority in the area — a familiar tactic aimed at projecting administrative control and regional dominance.

Beyond the Paper: Will Turkey Escalate at Sea?

The key question now is whether Turkey’s reaction will remain limited to NAVTEX diplomacy or translate into physical obstruction, as has occurred in the past — notably, when Turkish warships harassed an Italian survey vessellaying subsea cables for the EuroAsia Interconnector.

Regardless of Ankara’s next steps, the participation of four European nations in “EUNOMIA 2025” sends a strong signal of regional solidarity, deterrence, and commitment to upholding international maritime law in the Eastern Mediterranean.

Source: pagenews.gr