Second of five illegal tavernas in Schinias wetland to be torn down

The Decentralized Administration of Attica is set to proceed on Monday with the demolition of the second of five tavernas on the beach of Schinias, a protected wetland northeast of Athens.

The area had eight eateries that violated zoning and environmental protection rules, and were ordered for demolition in 1999.

Bulldozers were not dispatched until 2015, however, and then managed to tear down just three of the eight establishments, which had gone bankrupt in the meantime.

Delays in the demolition of the remaining five has put Greece in hot water with the European Commission and despite repeated warnings, the operation for their demolition is still going slowly, with just one taverna razed last week.