Dispute between Albania and Greece over the Delimitation of Maritime Zones

Abstract

The law of the sea guarantees the sovereignty of states and preserves the territorial integrity of sovereign states under international law. Disputes under the law of the sea often arise in the international arena. This study analyses a dispute, brought under the law of the sea, between Albania and Greece. The long-standing dispute between Albania and Greece over the delimitation of maritime zones was revived by the Greek Parliament’s January 20, 2021 approval of the expansion of the country’s territorial waters in the Ionian Sea from six miles to twelve miles. The Greek Parliament’s action triggered numerous debates and reactions, as Albania questioned how Greece’s decision affects the maritime zones between the two countries, particularly with respect to the continental shelf of Albania and the Greek islands. Beyond the desire and interests of the parties to resolve the «issue of the sea», international law imposes certain rules and principles on the signatories to its various international conventions. The issue between Greece and Albania has become even more controversial due to the assessments of international law experts in Albania that a small island and continental land cannot have equal rights. This article analyses the effect of normative acts on the law of the sea in Albania and the legal issues of the Albanian legislation; the effect of the Albanian legislation in light of the international law of the sea; and the problems of the agreement between Albania and Greece for delineation of the continental shelf, which the Constitutional Court of Albania has declared invalid.