The European Union extends its sanctions on Turkey over its activities in the Eastern Mediterranean

 The European Union announced today, Friday, that it will extend its sanctions against Turkey over its illegal activities in the Mediterranean.

The European Union decided to extend the sanctions regime imposed on Turkish drilling activities in the eastern Mediterranean for a year, according to "Russia Today" channel.

The President of the European Council, Charles Michel, confirmed that Brussels will take a decision on the future of relations with Turkey next month. And he acknowledged the existence of a dispute with Ankara in several files.

In a Turkish provocation, last Sunday, Ankara once again extended the mission of a ship to explore for gas in an area in the eastern Mediterranean that is disputed with Greece, despite protests from Athens, which condemns "illegal activity."

The Turkish Navy announced in a message via the Naval Warning System, "Naftex", that the seismic monitoring vessel "Aruj Reis" will continue its mission until November 14th.

For its part, Greece called on Turkey to cancel the notification issued by the Navy regarding exploration activity. Officials from the Greek Foreign Ministry said Turkey's new notification covers an area that includes the Greek continental shelf, a few kilometers from the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kastellorizo.