According to media reports, Turkey has issued another illegal NAVTEX closing three areas of the Aegean on June 2, 4 and 5 for a search-and-rescue exercise.
The closures will coincide with a major Turkish naval buildup. From June 4 to 14, the Turkish navy is scheduled to conduct the Sea Wolf II exercise across the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean, deploying at least 90 warships alongside Turkish coast guard units operating under cover of the search-and-rescue exercise. The Turkish air force is separately scheduled to hold nationwide mobilization and readiness drills on June 1 and July 2.
The timing has drawn attention in Athens. The exercises will also overlap with reported plans by the Erdogan administration to submit legislation formally codifying its revisionist “Blue Homeland” (Mavi Vatan) maritime doctrine into domestic law, according to Bloomberg and multiple Turkish press reports. No parliamentary vote date has been officially confirmed. Greek defense officials are reportedly on alert.
