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Argentina to file criminal charges over Navitas oil drilling near Falklands
The charges target Navitas Petroleum, several subsidiaries and executives, after President Javier Milei said Argentina would sanction drilling in the British overseas territory.
Argentina has said it will file criminal charges against Navitas Petroleum for operating in the seas off the Falkland Islands, escalating a long-running sovereignty dispute with the United Kingdom, according to BBC Business.
The move comes days after President Javier Milei said the government would sanction oil companies drilling in the British overseas territory in the south-west Atlantic Ocean. Foreign Office Minister Kirsty McNeill told the House of Commons that the British government remains committed to the Falkland Islanders and that hydrocarbon production is a commercial decision for the islands and the companies involved.
The Falklands dispute between the UK and Argentina has persisted for more than 40 years after British forces ejected Argentine troops in 1982. BBC Business reports that Milei has recently intensified Argentina’s position, describing drilling in the archipelago as a clear and urgent danger to Argentine sovereignty.
Argentina’s plans follow an announcement by Milei’s office to bring criminal charges against Navitas Petroleum, several of its subsidiaries and their executives, the outlet said. Navitas is listed in Tel Aviv and, according to the report, holds a 65% stake related to the offshore assets in question.