After Paros where Mikri Santa Maria beach was half freed of umbrellas and sunbeds under the pressure of the movement for free beaches, and in Naxos it seems that businessmen have become alarmed and are trying to limit violations amid revelations and big reactions.
At the Plaka beach of Naxos during the evening hours, residents noticed that trucks had arrived and started collecting sunbeds from the beach businesses. The same seems to have happened on other large beaches of the island, such as Agia Anna and Agios Prokopios.
In the case of Naxos, however, this move is “voluntary” as there has been no control by the competent services as was done in Paros, and is probably related to the information that an control is about to be carried out and sanctions imposed.
The serious complaints and the fear of sanctions
It was preceded by the serious complaint of Mrs. Eleni Andrianopoulou, a member of the movement “Save the beaches of Naxos” which mobilizes to put a brake on this situation, who stated yesterday to ERT that among other violations concerning the occupation of the greater part of beach, and in the existence of wood and cement constructions there was also the rock outcropping from the sea at Plaka beach.
In particular, Mrs. Andrianopoulou stated that with a private excavator a businessman broke and removed from the sea… the slabs, which threatens the very existence of the beach (which even bears the name Plaka for this reason) as there is a great risk of erosion from it the intervention.
The businessmen may have rushed in the evening to restore “order” to the beaches where they operate, however the violations so far can be proven both from the material that the residents have collected and will submit to the competent services, as well as from photos of the beaches that until yesterday were filled with umbrella seats.
Free beaches in Halkidiki
At the same time, the reactions are increasing and more and more people are rallying to free beaches.
In Halkidiki, which has also been facing a huge problem at the altar of tourist development for years, a group was created on social media (Citizens’ Movement of Halkidiki) which within a few hours has 2,822 members.
“On the same wavelength as the struggles of the citizens in Paros and Naxos, the time has come to claim back the beaches of Halkidiki that belong equally to all of us and to face their illegal occupation by businessmen who not only destroy the natural landscape but also exclude a large part of the citizens from accessing them”, is stated as the aim of the new movement.
So far, dozens of cases have been posted in this group where access to the sea has practically been prohibited, unless someone pays for the services of a beach bar or a hotel, while there are also reports that businessmen have erected walls that prevent access.
Latest News
Which Islands Will Have Italians Flocking to Greece this Summer?
Well-known Italian travel magazine details reasons why Skopelos, Naxos and Astypalaia are the go-to summer destinations for Italians
Antentokounmpo 5th Highest Paid Athlete in World
The basketball player rakes in 111 million dollars per year, between his salary at the Bucks and endorsements from big brands like Amazon, Nike and Pepsi
Greek FM Gerapetritis: Need to Immediately End Gaza Hostilities
Gerapetritis added that a humanitarian crisis was transpiring in Gaza, with the concerns now being spillover in the wider Middle East.
ETC Report: Greece 3rd Most Popular Destination for Europeans
Italy and Spain are tied as the top destinations, each attracting 8% of travelers
Greece Battles EC to Protect Rice Industry and Public Health
Together with several other EU countries, Greece successfully blocked the European Commission's proposal to increase allowable levels of a banned pesticide commonly found in rice imported from southeast Asia
Eurostat: 3.2% Annual Inflation in Greece in April
The data shows that Greece ranks seventh in overall inflation within the eurozone and second in food inflation
Intrum’s 2024 Report Unveils Greek Businesses Embrace Digitalization for Growth
Looking ahead, over 40% of businesses prioritize development for 2024, with 65% recognizing the potential of digital business models as sustainable investments
IOBE: Mild Drop in April Business Confidence Index (BCI) in Greece
The positive balance of expectations for employment witnessed a marginal decline, while the index for production forecasts also recorded a mild drop
Greek PM Mitsotakis Calls on EU to Intervene Over Multinationals’ Pricing Policy
Speaking about price fairness, the Prime Minister emphasized, "Europe should also mean similar or uniform prices for the products sold by our multinational corporations.
Greenhouse Gas Emissions: 4% Decrease in EU, 0.3% Rise in Greece in Q4 2023
The EU's GDP remained stable with a marginal 0.2% increase in fourth quarter of 2023