Santorini mayor calls out caldera protection changes
Santorini’s mayor and a Cyclades lawmaker are raising concerns over a proposed legislative amendment they claim quietly alters protections for the island’s caldera.
The regulation, part of a broader environmental bill, includes a map that removes two areas from the protected zone. These areas, former quarries, are unbuildable under a 1990 presidential decree. Officials argue this map change is an attempt to bypass those long-standing protections.
The bill, open for public consultation, halts new building permits in the broader caldera area until 2025. It also mandates structural studies for existing tourist-related buildings.
Mayor Nikos Zorzos and lawmaker Markos Kafouros believe the map specifically excludes the two large properties, opening the door for construction in previously restricted areas. Kafouros has asked the Environment Ministry why the map diverges from the 1990 decree and whether construction permits have been improperly issued in the areas. Santorini officials worry the move is a step toward overdevelopment on the iconic island.
