2023-10-23 12:26:30
In making use of the most basic of its “lessons”. case of Mykonos intends to proceed the Ministry of National Economy and Financewhich has the main responsibility for the coastal areas and the beaches. The main weapon against illegality will be the suspension of their operation shops the businesses who proceed to illegal occupation of the beach, which in case of repetition will entail the withdrawal of the permit. At the same time, the amount of the fines will also increase, although the ministry has become aware that often the violators… prefer to pay the fines, as they represent an infinitesimal part of their turnover.
At the same time, the creation of a permanent scheme (similar to the mixed echelons that carried out the controls for urban planning illegalities in the beach bars of Mykonos) is being considered so that the controls to become more efficient. Finally, the ministry, on the occasion of its local movements Take it and her Naxos, explores the use of digital media to monitor concessions. Two conundrums remain: how to speed up the demolition of squatters on the seashores and how the ministry will deal with the issue of adjacent lands that have been granted, in the cases where continuous “blocks” of umbrella seats are created.
After a highly eventful summer, in which the theme of illegal activities on the coast and beaches dominated, the main question is one: how will the same unbearable image not be repeated next summer? The responsibility for the marine area and the coastal and beach issues is shared among many bodies, but the Ministry of National Economy and Finance has the first say, which is also the “owner” (since the coast and beaches in our country are only public) and has the legislative initiative. During this period, through successive meetings and with co-competent ministries, the range of legislative changes deemed necessary to close the “holes” in the system is crystallising, guided by the… lessons learned from this summer.
The “explosion” of movements
“All these problems have existed for years. But the more the vigilantes saw that the measures against them were not drastic, the more they became discouraged. Their greed drove them to extremes. That’s why there was this “explosion” of movements for free spaces this year”, says Naya Kolliawho took over as general secretary of Public Property at the end of last July.
Along with the gradual reduction of illegality on the coasts (which was also fueled by the government’s two-year moratorium on demolitions), the estates services were breathing heavily in terms of staffing. As stated by Evangelia Kofou, director of the office of the G.C. Public Property, which has been the director of real estate services for more than 20 years, their staff today amounts to approximately 500 people (and is decreasing, due to retirements), when the legislation provides for 1,500 positions.
“We did our best. We revoked employee leaves, reinforced the most critical services such as Cyclades and Halkidiki with employees from others, started systematic autopsies and the employees of the real estate services responded to the maximum extent possible. In less than two months we carried out 4,500 checks and recorded 1,750 violations. The revenue from beach concessions for the state and municipalities in 2023 was around 32 million euros and the fines that have been assessed so far amount to around 12.5 million euros – and we are not done,” says Ms Kollia. “However, there are also problems that one does not imagine. For example, employees of estate services are not authorized to perform autopsies on weekends, because their work is five days and not seven days, like the servants. There is the immeasurable factor of the municipalities, which do not have direct authority, but must control the concessions and inform the real estate services to revoke licenses of illegals and remove illegal umbrella seats if requested by the real estate agencies. If a municipality cannot or does not want to, we have no way of forcing it. There are also the issues of the “autoforakis”, the thugs who threaten our employees, the Decentralized Commands that have not carried out demolitions for many reasons and a bunch of “holes” in the system, which we will try to close”.
“Obviously we can’t limit the right of wrongdoers to seek judicial protection, but that will be after they’re locked up, not so that they’re locked up.”
According to the general secretary of Public Property, the main lesson of this summer – primarily from Mykonos – is that illegals are not afraid of fines, but only of being stamped. “The main change we will make to the legislation is that we will facilitate the immediate closure of businesses that are illegal. Only this will prevent delinquency. We are therefore working on a regulation to increase the fines and, if possible, their immediate collection. But with a simultaneous suspension of the operation of the business for a certain period of time or until it complies. In case of recurrence or non-compliance, the beach concession will be revoked and the license of the establishment will be withdrawn: whether it is a canteen or a hotel bar. Obviously we cannot limit the right of wrongdoers to seek judicial protection, however this will be after they are locked up and not to be locked up. As for the amount of the fines, it will increase significantly, as they are sub-multiples of the income from the illegal activity and many prefer to pay them than to comply”.
Another legislative change that will be made concerns the information regarding the granted area. “As of 2019, the obligation to place a sign on each concession, which informs about the area granted, is foreseen. But no one places them because there is no sanction. We will therefore make the posting of these signs mandatory by the businessmen themselves, with penalties if they do not do so and the responsibility of maintaining them. I believe that the signs will act as a deterrent, as it will be easy for citizens to detect an illegality and inform the authorities.”
And regarding the autopsies, on the occasion of the movements of Paros and Naxos? “Even if the estates had twice as many employees, it would still not be possible to control all beach concessions throughout the country. The services must also be technologically enhanced. In this direction, we will cooperate with the Ministry of Digital Governance, in order to integrate the use of satellite images and drones”, says Ms. Kollia.
Demolition protocols
A second and equally complicated issue is the registration of urban planning irregularities on the seafront and their demolition. “Today an arbitrary protocol is issued and it may take 3-4 years to finalize and even more to execute. I’m ashamed to say it, but the pending demolition protocols are about 4,000, not counting Thessaly and Epirus, where we are now collecting the data. In some cases, the backlog reaches even 30 years,” says Ms. Kollia. “The rates of execution of the demolition protocols are obviously not as desired and this is not due to the inactivity of the Decentralized Commands. They are various parameters, such as indicatively the fact that tenders for finding contractors are particularly time-consuming and are often declared fruitless. We are therefore considering the establishment of a single body for inspections, on the model of the mixed echelons that carried out the inspections of the beach bars in Mykonos. And we are looking for a formula to speed up the demolitions.”
Regarding the transformation of the beaches this year into… furniture exhibitions, she clarifies that the “gazebos”, as the beds on the beaches are called, are illegal, but she leaves open the possibility that this could change. “If they are provided for in the legislation, they will be subject to conditions and restrictions,” he says.
Of course, there are still many issues that should be considered. For example, the direct leasing of beaches to shops and businesses bordering the coast create a single “block” (e.g. this year on the beach of the city of Rhodes) where not only is the 50% rule not respected, but not a centimeter is left free. Also, an important issue remains the safeguarding and strengthening of the free access of all citizens to the beach, which is artificially limited by coastal businesses (especially large hotel units). “We will try to deal with as many as possible,” says Ms Kollia. “This year the movements for the preservation of free beaches helped all of us to look again at past mistakes and to try our best, with the aim of ensuring the legitimacy and free access of citizens to the beaches in accordance with the Constitution, while protecting the Greek touristic product. Let’s judge ourselves by the result.”
Obstacles to demolitions in the Dodecanese
It took 20 years for arbitrary demolitions to begin again in the forests and beaches of Rhodes. However, the competent agencies are already faced with two serious issues: the first and foremost, that many of the arbitrarily “extracted”, as a result of which they have to be re-checked. The second is that the threats from the illegals to the officials appointed to carry out the difficult task have already begun.
A few days ago, the Decentralized Administration of the Aegean signed a contract with a private contractor, who will undertake to demolish 421 arbitrarily throughout the Dodecanese. Of these, the lion’s share is located in Rhodes (135 in coastal areas, 54 in forests and 30 in urban areas). As “K” pointed out in a series of reports this summer, the situation on the island’s beaches is dramatic, as monstrous arbitrariness survives for a number of years thanks to the inability of the authorities to intervene and the reluctance of the Municipality of Rhodes to initiate the sealing of illegal businesses (accusations have already been brought against officials of the outgoing municipality principle).
“The tender was held in 2021 and the contract was signed now. The State is often accused of inaction, but in the law there are deadlines and procedures that reach the courts and of course delay the signature.
Fortunately, the contract was signed and now after all these years we are working with central government, the police and the Coast Guard to move forward.” the general secretary of the Decentralized Administration of the Aegean Mariana Nikolaidou reports to “K”.. “There are, of course, many issues that concern us. The main thing is that there are arbitrary ones that 3-4 years ago were 50 sq.m. and now it is 500 sq.m. hotels, or random shacks that are now villas. We have asked the forest and land services to check the list of trespassers sent to us and we will decide along the way how to handle these cases.”
Indicative of the complexity of the demolitions is that upon determining the officials who will carry out the work, they began to receive threats. “This highlights the seriousness of the matter”, points out Mrs. Nikolaidou.
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