Steps to keep beaches free

The Ministry of Finance, whose responsibilities include oversight of the use of Greece’s coasts and beaches, is considering tougher sanctions for businesses that expand their presence on beaches, in violation of agreements with the state, which is the sole proprietor of these lands.

The ministry is considering steeper fines and suspending operating licenses, especially the latter, since authorities found that violators did not mind paying the fines that represented a negligible percentage of their revenue.

Authorities also seek to supplement on-the-ground inspections with other means, such as drones, to search for violations and to speed up demolitions of illegal structures.