ИСТИНА

The paper explores Turkey’s assertive foreign policy in the Mediterranean and beyond. It argues that the regional and domestic developments of the last decade (the decay of Turkey’s EU prospects and rising authoritarian tendencies) encouraged Turkey: - to pursue a more independent foreign policy; - to limit its relationship with the EU to refugee issues, trade and investment. Ankara is undoubtedly keen on getting its share of the region’s energy riches. Despite its recent gains in the diversification of natural gas imports, Turkey still suffers from energy import dependence. Turkey’s Mediterranean policy could be interpreted as a response to perceived threats to its maritime sovereignty, as well as a product of an increasingly pervasive perception of Turkey’s regional isolation and encirclement.