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Greece: Citizens against the beach chair mafia

2023-08-08 09:17:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

Greece: Citizens against the beach chair mafia

Anyone who goes to the beach in Greece has a hard time finding a place to put their towel and umbrella. The whole side is occupied with sunbeds and umbrellas. From the rows of uniform umbrellas you can enjoy the panorama of the sea. These beach furniture are placed by businesses, hoteliers, managers of bars and cafes, to be rented to make tires - up to 120 euros a day costs a luxury sunbed on the island of the Cyclades, Paros.

But towards the business it is created. Civic movement protesting against the illegal privatization of beaches. "We defend the right of the state and the visitors of the island to free access to the beaches, which I do not want," writes the "movement of Paros for the protection of the beaches" on its Facebook page. "Greek wine is part of our soul, it is part of our identity, we do not allow, that do not take this!"

 

No vacancies on the beaches

In the media activists call it "towel movement". But Konstantinos Bizas, prefect of Paros and the smaller island of Antiparos, does not accept this designation. He prefers the term citizen beach protection movement. Because the goal is to preserve the beaches for the public. "According to the law, only 50 percent of beaches are allowed to be given to the public for business use, the other 50 percent must be a free public space. If we are dealing with nature producer areas, only 30 percent is allowed for the business". , says Bizaas in an interview for DW. In the upcoming elections, he will run as an independent candidate for the post of mayor. Until he engages in the civic initiative, which makes the beaches available for free use and visitors.

Paros is the third island from the beginning in the Cyclades archipelago, directly next to the larger island of Naxos. The island has 14,000 permanent residents and has over 700 tourism enterprises with an accommodation capacity of 25,000 beds. Added to these are 10,000 open beds through the Airbnb platform. According to data from the port authority last year, the number of tourists on the island reached 750,000, who are attracted by the beaches that are not beautiful, among which ten are considered the most beautiful. Businesses, bars, cafes and restaurants are open on these beaches, which are extending to more of the beach space, leaving no free public space.

 

Citizens protest against illegal privatization

Former retired teacher, Christos Georgousis is one of the members of the movements for the protection of the outer beaches. Time on the favorite holiday islands is getting out of hand, he says. For two years, he has not taken care of respecting the rules. At the beginning of June, he invited representatives of local authorities to a meeting to discuss the solution to the problem. About 200 people participated. In July there were two demonstrations, attended by about 300 to 400 people, including foreigners who live on the island or visit it regularly.

"The civic movement is not against tourists or businesses," says film director Panos Kekas in a conversation with DW. Activists demand that the law be enforced, meaning that only half of the beaches can be used for business and the rest must be left free for the public. The director who has been living on the island for 15 years has also made a film about this phenomenon, which has spread throughout Greece.

 

Tariff economy and mafia structure

All parties and age groups participate in the civic movement in Paros, says activist, high school teacher Tasos Kasapidis. "The civic movement has received data from all and the findings made on the Internet: "In Paros, the license is granted for business use for only 7,500 square meters of beach area, but in fact businesses have occupied 18,500 square meters of area."

Jo vetëm në Paros, por në mbarë Greqinë hotelet dhe baret ekspandojnë me çadra e shezlone përtej hapësirës së marrë me qira, sepse autoritet nuk i kontrollojnë ato. Në shumë plazhe që nuk duan ose nuk janë në gjendje të pagujnë çmimet e larta për shezlonët dhe refuzohet hyrja në plazh. Sipas politikës greke plazhet janë publike dhe vetëm në kushte të caktuara nga komuna apo autoritete të tjera të territorit të caktuar mund të jepen me qira.

Për taktika elektorale ose kontrolle për biznesmenët kanë njohje me politikanët apo kanë lidhje farefisnore, nuk mund të bëjnë një sy të një vesh të shurdhër dhe nuk ushtrojnë. Rezultati është që fare pak persona fitojnë financiarisht në kurriz të pjesës dërrmuese të gjithë.

 

Protesta po jep efektet e para

Another problem besides the economy of tariffs in Greece is the lack of competence of the authorities. In other words, a request loads another thing. The movement for the protection of beaches in Paros mobilized during these two months has achieved a lot: "Beach occupiers are careful about their finances". In the favorite of Santa Maria in the east of the island of Paros, the sunbeds have been removed from the public beaches and three businesses have been arrested and charged. The prosecution will land on the island to investigate. A nationwide solidarity network has been created through social networks./DW





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