Amorgos Municipality fined for illegal road construction

The Municipality of Amorgos in the Cycladic islands has been fined by regional authorities for unlawfully constructing three new roads.

Following complaints filed with the Regional authority of the South Aegean and the Ombudsman by conservation groups and local residents, officials launched on-site inspections in 2021.

Investigations revealed that, in at least three instances – Nerolakkas, Selada and Mavro Vouno – the local government had bypassed the environmental permitting process required for road construction, causing damage to the natural environment.

The Environment and Spatial Planning Committee recommended a €14,600 fine for each of the three violations. Additionally, they requested that the municipality develop a plan for restoring the roads within a six-month timeframe.

The municipality’s claims that the projects were merely maintenance or improvement works on existing rural roads were rejected.