Over 10,000 complaints for Beach Violations in Greece

Citizens submitted over 10,000 complaints via the myCoast app in July about beach violations in Greece, prompting authorities to conduct multiple inspections on beaches throughout the country.

Special task forces have carried out over 5,000 inspections nationwide of more than 1,100 businesses so far. Over the past week authorities in collaboration with the Hellenic Police and local municipalities targeted over 290 businesses.

The complaints examined mainly came through the MyCoast app and telephone calls from citizens to local Property Services offices.

The general impression from the massive inspections in recent weeks is significantly improved compared to previous years, as the majority of businesses operating on the beaches have complied with the new rules and legal framework.

However, the inspections revealed several violations, ranging from the lack of posted signs to exceeding the space allocated for additional umbrellas and seating, unauthorized structures, and cases of unauthorized occupation without a concession agreement.

The fines imposed on businesses in violation of the relevant regulations so far total over 1,150,000 euros, with the process of imposing additional fines and administrative measures still ongoing.

According to Greek authorities, the regions with the most complaints and prioritized for inspections are as follows:

Halkidiki: 1,873 complaints were examined, 234 in the last week. Inspections were conducted on 19 beaches and 148 businesses, with 8 beaches and 53 businesses inspected just last week.

East Attica: 1,396 complaints were examined, 1,157 in the last week. Inspections on 20 beaches and 58 businesses revealed 12 violations, with corresponding administrative measures imposed.

Preveza: 873 complaints were examined. Inspection teams checked 6 beaches and 35 businesses, identifying three violations.

Dodecanese: 754 complaints were examined, 591 in the last week. Drone flights were conducted in Kallithea and Faliraki to capture the current situation. Inspections on 14 beaches and 25 businesses found 7 violations.

Cyclades: This region received a relatively low number of complaints this year. Around 450 complaints have been inspected. In Paros, almost all complaints were inspected in collaboration with the Municipality of Paros, covering about 10 different beaches and 37 businesses, with only one violation found.

Corfu: 352 complaints were examined, 27 in the last week. Inspections on 4 beaches and 6 businesses resulted in 5 administrative measures.

Chania: 199 complaints were examined overall. Inspections on 7 beaches and 19 businesses revealed 8 violations, with administrative measures in progress.

Users can report incidents of beach violations in Greece in real-time using the myCoast app after accessing the concession status of the specific beach. In cases where users observe restricted access or unauthorized installations like extra recliners or umbrellas on the shoreline or in the water, they are encouraged to report the incident.

Source: tovima.com