More than 4,500 inspections on beaches and coastal areas throughout the country were carried out in the previous three weeks following citizens’ complaints.
During this time, extensive checks were carried out in cooperation with the Greek Police and the local municipalities on more than 150 beaches and more than 750 businesses.
The complaints that were examined came mainly through the MyCoast application but also through citizens’ phone calls to the local authorities.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the situation has clearly improved compared to previous years as the majority of businesses operating on the beaches have complied with the new rules and the new legal framework.
However, the audits also revealed several violations concerning excess umbrella seats or additional constructions as well as cases where the occupation was arbitrary without a concession contract.
All the prescribed administrative fines were imposed while in the cases where there was no contract, approximately 20 beach areas in areas such as Rhodes, Messolonghi, Volos, Corfu, Parga, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, etc., which were illegally occupied by umbrella seats, were sealed.
According to the Ministry of Finance, these places have been returned to the citizens for free use, while the fines imposed exceed a total of 800,000 euros.
