Panic has erupted in popular tourist spots after teams of Greek and international inspectors stripped 22 beaches of their Blue Flag certification following spot checks
Greece is famous worldwide for its beautiful white sandy beaches and crystal clear waters but this could be set to change as dozens of beaches across Greece have been stripped of their quality status.
Teams of Greek and international inspectors have stripped 22 beaches of their Blue Flag certification following spot checks. Panic has erupted in popular tourist spots after it was found that these beaches no longer met the standards for quality, safety, services and environmental management criteria, according to the Hellenic Society for the Protection of Nature.
However, in other criteria they are still doin well – the quality of the swimming waters remains excellent, as per the standards of the programme, The Express reports. Beaches in popular tourist destinations including Rhodes, Crete, Mykonos and Corfu lost their flag.
Four beaches that lost their Blue Flag status, these are: Amnisos Beach of Hersonissos , Lerapetra 1 of Municipality of Ierapetra, Makrygialou Beach of Municipality of Ierapetra and Myrtos Beach of Municipality of Ierapetra.
Meanwhile on the island of Naxos and on the Halkidiki peninsula in northern Greece three more beaches also lost their Blue Flag award. The rest are distributed across different parts of the country, see below for a full list.
Surprise checks will continue across all awarded beaches with more beaches facing losing their blue flag status if further shortcomings are discovered, the programme has warned.
Full list of Greek beaches that lost their Blue Flag status:
- Akti Schoinias Karavi, Marathona Municipality, P. E. Attica
- Coast 1 Limanaki Daskaleio Kerateas/Solo Pino, Municipality of Lavreotiki, P. E. Attica
- Akti Psaltos/Mitsis Lindos Memories Resort, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. Dodecanese
- Akti Kallithea, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. Dodecanese
- Akti Mikros Gialos, Municipality of Rhodes, P.E. Dodecanese
- Akti Amnisos/Pnoe Breathing Life, Municipality of Hersonissos, P.E. Heraklion
- Akti Ermones, Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands, P.E. Corfu
- Akti Ag. Gordios/La Grotta Verde, Municipality of Central Corfu and Diapontian Islands, P.E. Corfu
- Akti Mylos Ormou Korthiou, Municipality of Andros, P.E. Andros
- Akti Provatas, Municipality of Milos, P.E. Milos
- Akti Kalafatis/Aphrodite Beach Resort, Municipality of Mykonos, P. E. Mykonos
- Akti Agia Anna/Maragas, Municipality of Naxos, P.E. Naxos
- Akti Agios Georgios, Municipality of Naxos, P.E. Naxos
- Akti Agios Prokopios, Municipality of Naxos, P.E. Naxos
- Akti Ag. Fokas/Marathia, Municipality of Tinos, PE Tinos
- Akti Ierapetra 1/Dimotiki, Municipality of Ierapetra, P.E. Lasithi
- Akti Koinotiki Plaz Makrygialou, Municipality of Ierapetra, PE Lasithi
- Akti Myrtos, Municipality of Ierapetra, PE Lasithi
- Akti Mega Ammos (Rock), Municipality of Preveza, P.E. Preveza
- Akti Koutloumousiou, Municipality of Sithonia, P.E. Halkidiki
- 2 Akti Nea Roda, Municipality of Aristoteli, PE Halkidiki
- Akti Ouranoupolis 1/Xenia Ouranoupolis, Municipality of Aristoteli, P.E. Halkidiki
