Greece's government on Friday banned bars, restaurants and large gatherings from 198 “unexplored beaches” in its latest attempt to contain development and deal with a backlash against the swarms of tourists flocking to the country. ” list was announced. Coastline every year.
The move comes amid growing dissatisfaction among some residents of Greece's islands and mainland coasts, which are popular with foreign tourists. Protests began last year as frustrated local residents felt they were being pushed off their beaches by companies looking to cash in on the tourism boom that brought more than 32 million foreign tourists to Greece last year. In the summer, the movement grew into a nationwide “beach towel movement''.
In the country's Cyclades, local residents joined forces with authorities to resist a wave of construction.
Greece's conservative government has promised to crack down on development and seaside businesses that violate regulations. In February, it passed a law aimed at regulating the use of Greece's coastline, imposing fines of up to 60,000 euros on companies that occupy more than 50% of Greece's beaches with umbrellas and sunbeds.
Critics said the law did not do enough to curb the problem, and some argued that the government's failure to more comprehensively address illegal land use perpetuated the problem.
The government said the list of “unexplored coasts” published in a joint agreement between Greece's finance minister and environment and energy minister was part of a broader effort to restore balance. “The main goal is to combine environmental protection and sustainable development,” Economy and Finance Minister Kostis Hadjidakis said on Friday.
“The environment is a valuable element of Greece's tourism product,” he said.
Hadjidakis said that under the new initiative, the government is placing public assets “under a strict framework of rules, penalties and obligations.” Inspection and transparency will be strengthened, as will “law enforcement,” he added.
The beaches on the list are located in areas included in the European Union's Natura program. The Natura Program is a network of vulnerable habitats across Europe that are protected under European law. The beaches listed on Friday also include popular islands such as Milos, Naxos, Lesvos and Samothrace, as well as spots in the southern Peloponnese.
The islands were selected on the advice of the country's Nature Environment and Climate Change Agency and are all “areas of high ecological importance,” Environment and Energy Minister Theodoros Skyrakakis said on Friday. .
Under the new initiative, no section of these beaches can be auctioned off for commercial use, the presence of sun loungers or umbrellas will also be prohibited, and public events attended by more than 10 people will also be prohibited.
Another initiative the government is introducing is a new app called “MyCoast” that allows people to report violations.
Some environmental activists in Greece were unimpressed by Friday's announcement. Eleni Andrianopoulou, a resident of Naxos and member of the local Save the Beaches group, said the government's original plan was to cover more than 1,000 beaches across the country, but the Natura region was the He added that “protection” is necessary.
“From the beginning, we have emphasized that this reform to unexplored beaches is a fraud.”
Demetre Calaveras, director of World Wildlife Fund Greece, said authorities were jumping on board with the list of untouched beaches, adding that there were many marine and coastal areas recognized under the Natura program but not yet certified. He pointed out that there are more than 100 regions. Effectively managed or preserved.
“Governments should start by adhering to basic legal obligations before creating new, nebulous categories of protection,” he said.