Greece introduced a series of new beach rules earlier this year in a bid to improve public access to its world-famous coastline and reduce overcrowding – with fines now being dished out
Since the beginning of July, Greek authorities have dished out over €800,000 (£674.760) in fines for breaches of new beach rules.
Earlier this year, Greece rolled out a raft of new regulations aimed at enhancing public access to its world-renowned coastline and tackling overcrowding.
A minimum four-metre gap between sunbeds and the shoreline was introduced to make it easier for beach-goers to reach the water. Another tweak meant that 70% of beaches must now be free of sunbeds to prevent overcrowding and make sunbathing more comfortable.
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Electronic reporting systems were set up near beaches so that people could report any rule-breaking to authorities, and it was announced that drone inspections would be carried out to ensure compliance.
This month alone, the Greek Ministry of Economy and Finance has reportedly probed over 4,500 citizen complaints about beaches and coastal areas across Greece. Many involved reports of beaches being ‘hijacked’ by local businesses.
On-the-spot checks were carried out at more than 150 beaches to ensure that the sands remained fully accessible and to check that beachfront businesses were not illegally expanding beyond their designated areas.
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Fines of over €800,000 (more than £600,000) were slapped on for violations, which included businesses setting up umbrellas and deck chairs beyond their boundaries, failing to display the required signage and occupying beach areas without a lease, reports Birmingham Live.
Trendy holiday locales such as Rhodes, Crede, and the rest are drawing attention due to environment-related rules, according to Greek Travel Pages. The MyCoast app is on hand for beachgoers to call out any foul play.
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Greek PM Kyriakos Mitsotakis issued a stark warning when beach regulations were tightened in March: “This summer a lot will change on our beaches.”
Pristine stretches of the coast have been declared ‘untouchable,’ with sun loungers being removed entirely in such zones.
A rise in tourists has been noted in many different parts of the country. Earlier this week, Panagiotis Kavallaris, the president of the Thira municipal community in Santorini, urged locals not to go outdoors as the island had become overrun by tourists coming off cruise ships. Panagiotis had posted the warning on social media but has since deleted the post.
Greece is also currently battling a surge in cases of the new Covid-19 variant, FLiRT. The variant first appeared in Greece two weeks ago, and since there has been a dramatic rise in Covid hospital admissions. Some rules have been reinforced including mask-wearing in some hospitals.